Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard

Sixers give in to Lowry and the Raptors

The 76ers collapsed twice. Yet, that didn't doom them. They regrouped after losing a comfortable cushion in each half only to suffer a heartbreaking 91-86 setback to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) looks to pass between Philadelphia 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams (1) and forward Robert Covington (33) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)
Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) looks to pass between Philadelphia 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams (1) and forward Robert Covington (33) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)Read more

The 76ers collapsed twice. Yet, that didn't doom them.

They regrouped after losing a comfortable cushion in each half only to suffer a heartbreaking 91-86 setback to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

With his team down by one, Greivis Vasquez's running jumper gave the Raptors an 87-86 lead with 25.9 seconds left. Toronto (28-15) added four more points on a pair of foul shots by both Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Lowry down the stretch.

This was Lowry's first game since being voted an Eastern Conference starter for the NBA All-Star Game. The point guard from Philly showed why he's now a bona fide star, scoring 17 of the Raptors' final 23 points. The former Villanova standout finished with a game-high 21 points to go with five assists.

"I just didn't want us to lose tonight," Lowry said. "I think my teammates were kind of counting on me and we needed somebody to pick up the energy, and I felt like it was my time to pick up the energy and go out there and do my job."

Robert Covington made 4 of 11 three-pointers to pace the Sixers (8-35) with 18 points - with 16 coming in the first half. Nerlens Noel added 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Michael Carter-Williams had 12 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds.

The Sixers extended this current losing streak to four games. It was also their seventh consecutive series setback to the Raptors.

Still, the Sixers came out on fire.

Covington's second three-pointer gave them a 15-0 cushion with 7 minutes, 42 seconds left in the first quarter. At the time, the Raptors had missed their first seven shots and committed three turnovers.

Even after Toronto started to make shots, the Sixers maintained their double-digit cushion for most of the quarter. They even led by 16 points (23-7) at the 3:47 mark of the quarter.

The Raptors went on a 16-3 run to open the second quarter to take a 38-33 advantage with 5:09 left in half. Then they led by as many as 10 points on Patrick Patterson's layup with 9:19 remaining in the third quarter.

But as they have done all season, the Sixers kept scrapping and gradually cut into the Raptors' lead.

Then Noel's dunk with 9:09 left knotted the score at 68. Luc Mbah a Moute scored on a runner to give the Sixers a two-point cushion. The duo then extended their cushion to nine points. Noel hit a pair of foul shots and added a put-back dunk. Mbah a Moute had a three-point play to make it a 77-68 lead with 5:39 left.

Lowry scored 13 straight points to tie the score at 81. DeMar DeRozan's layup with 2:12 left gave the Raptors an 83-81 cushion.

Then Lowry made a pair of foul shots with 1:15 left to give Toronto a four-point cushion (85-81). But Carter-Williams responded with a three-pointer before making a layup to give the Sixers an 86-85 cushion. Then Vasquez made his jumper to give the Raptors the lead for good.

"He's a tough player, hit big shots," Noel said of Lowry. "I guess that's why he's an all-star in this league. I think we just have to do a couple of things. But no one really expected that. He's a great player himself and he hit great shots."

The Sixers had an opportunity to score, but Carter-Williams turned the ball over under the basket with 10.9 seconds left. Valanciunas, who stole the ball, was fouled by Carter-Williams. The center went to the line and made a pair of foul shots to give the Raptors a three-point cushion with 10.6 seconds left. Lowry then iced the game with 5.5 ticks remaining.

@PompeyOnSixers

www.inquirer.com/deepsixer