Facing elimination in the Conference Semifinals for the second straight year, the Philadelphia 76ers dug deep and with their trio of Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, dominated the Toronto Raptors 112-101 to force Game 7 on Sunday.
There wasn’t really much concern that the Sixers wouldn’t get the win. They consistently scored 29 points in each of the first three quarters. Throughout the majority of the game, the 76ers were ahead by at least 10 points and were up by at least 20 throughout most of the fourth quarter. The Raptors gained a bit toward the end of the game to cut the margin but by then, the win was out of reach.
With consistent health issues plaguing him throughout the playoffs, Joel Embiid put in solid work, posting 17 points and 12 rebounds in 36 minutes of play along with two big blocks on Kawhi Leonard. Six Sixers players total scored double digit points.
EMBIID GOT KAWHI TWICE 😱🚫 pic.twitter.com/PhGJ9oyZsL
— ESPN (@espn) May 10, 2019
Embiid’s presence out there along with his health really is the difference between how the Sixers operate. In Game 6, Embiid had a plus/minus of +40, the best on the team by far. Closest was Mike Scott at +29.
Jimmy Butler closed out the game as Sixers top scorer with 25 points while Leonard led the Raptors with 29. Butler’s game was highlighted by his hustle to score back-to-back buckets and get a steal in between within the final 10 seconds of the first half.
The end of the first half belonged to Jimmy Butler 💪 pic.twitter.com/bNT49zKkqP
— ESPN (@espn) May 10, 2019
The Raptors shouldn’t be discouraged after this game. Sure, they would have loved to close this out and spend a few more days focusing on the Milwaukee Bucks in the Conference Finals but Game 7 is in Toronto and Toronto has played well at home against the Sixers. After a five point loss to the Sixers in Game 2, the Raptors won by double digits at home (by 13 in Game 1 and by 36 in Game 5) in their two wins at home.
The Bucks await these two teams and they are not only the top seed in the East, they will have had at least a week rest by the time Game 1 is played. Regardless of who wins on Sunday, they will be in for a major test if they are to earn a trip to the Finals.
