Raptors hand Sixers 22nd straight road loss
TORONTO - It's déjà vu for the 76ers. Just like in previous seasons, life away from the Wells Fargo Center has been full of painful losses. Now they're close to being, once again, historic.
TORONTO - It's déjà vu for the 76ers.
Just like in previous seasons, life away from the Wells Fargo Center has been full of painful losses. Now they're close to being, once again, historic.
The shorthanded Sixers are one loss away from tying the franchise record for consecutive road losses. They reached 22 straight since Jan. 27 on Monday as they were dominated by the Toronto Raptors, 122-95, at Air Canada Centre. The Sixers set the franchise record of 23 straight over two seasons from March 29 to Dec. 23, 2015.
A consecutive road-loss streak isn't the only skid the Sixers (4-14) failed to snap. Monday also marked their 13th consecutive setback to the Raptors (11-6).
"We never want to lose by 30 points," Jahlil Okafor said. "Kyle Lowry got them started. He hit a bunch of threes in the first [half], and they never really looked back."
They were doomed by an inability to stop Lowry, a former Villanova standout along with Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross.
Lowry finished with 24 points on 7-for-9 shooting to go with eight assists and four rebounds. The former Cardinal Dougherty star and North Philly native made all six of his three-point attempts. He became the first Raptor to go 6 for 6 in threes. Sixteen of his points came in the first half where made four threes.
"He's tough when he's knocking down 35 footers and pull-ups," Gerald Henderson said. "But we got to be up [on him]. You know that's a shot he can hit. You almost have to play him like [Steph] Curry, little bit where you got to play him close."
Lowry's shooting opened things up for Valanciunas.
The 7-footer finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal before leaving the game in third quarter to get his ankle retaped. With the game of out control, he did not have to return. Ross, a reserve swingman, added 22 points.
Robert Covington paced the Sixers with 20 points while making a season-high six threes. Okafor finished with 15 points starting in place of Joel Embiid at center. Embiid missed his sixth game to rest his right foot.
The Sixers were once again without Jerryd Bayless, who was arguably this summer's top free-agent acquisition. The point guard missed his second straight game with left wrist soreness. He suffered a torn ligament in September.
Bayless' status for Wednesday's home game against the Sacramento Kings is unknown. The ninth-year veteran elected not to have surgery when he initially suffered the injury. As a result, he's in a lot of pain. His pain tolerance will be the deciding factor in whether he elects to have season-ending surgery. Bayless missed the trip to receive treatment at the team's practice facility in Camden.
"He's a competitive kid," said Henderson, another Sixers' free-agent addition along with Sergio Rodriguez. "He wants to play. Whatever the status of his wrist is, I know it's bothering him, contemplating whatever it is he may be contemplating."
Coach Brett Brown said right now things are fluid. "Personally, I'm a little bit worried," he said.
Bayless missed the first 13 games of the season. He made his Sixers debut on Nov. 21 in a victory over the Miami Heat. Bayless played in the next two games, making his long-awaited start in Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls.
He experienced soreness throughout that game and sat out Saturday's light practice before missing games Sunday and Monday.
"It's hard because when we signed, we were [in Philadelphia] the same day," said Rodriguez, who finished with 11 points, and seven assists while starting in place of Bayless. "We talked about how good we can do. So, you know, we had expectations."
The team also is without Ben Simmons (foot) and Nerlens Noel (knee), who have yet to play this season.
"We need to step up," Rodriguez said. "I think we are doing a good job almost competing every game to be our best. But obviously, it's frustrating for them and for us to see them injured."
The Sixers were at a huge loss before they boarded a flight here Sunday evening. They were without their leading scorer, rebounder, and rim protector in Embiid. The rookie center sat out the second of back-to-back games.
Without him, the team didn't have anyone to challenge Valanciunas on the boards and defensively. Nor were the Sixers able to stop the Raptors' early three-point barrage. The team made seven of its first 10 to finish 13 for 19 (68.4 percent). The Sixers had 14 of 34 threes.
Henderson had his worst game as a Sixer, failing to score on 0-for-7 shooting.
The Raptors led by as many as 31 points late in the fourth quarter.
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