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PHILADELPHIA — The Toronto Raptors had pulled within 111-105 with 4:43 left Thursday night when Anfernee Simons answered with a 3-pointer on the Philadelphia 76ers’ next possession. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added another with 2:02 left, and Philadelphia finished off a 123-112 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena without LeBron James, who was inactive for low back and sciatica management.
The two reserves also helped erase a 17-point first-quarter deficit. Simons and Caldwell-Pope made 8 of their 11 3-point attempts, while the rest of the 76ers went 5-of-19, and Philadelphia’s bench outscored Toronto’s 37-26.
Tyrese Maxey had 27 points and 8 assists, and Joel Embiid added 20 as Philadelphia improved to 10-3, two nights after a 123-101 home loss to the Boston Celtics. RJ Barrett scored 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting with 14 rebounds for Toronto, and Immanuel Quickley added 26. The Raptors fell to 5-7 with their third straight loss, on the second night of a back-to-back.
Anfernee Simons, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Lead The Bench Back
Toronto led 33-16 late in the first quarter. Simons hit a pull-up 3-pointer in the final second to finish an 8-0 run. His step-back 3 opened the second quarter, and Philadelphia led 35-34 a little more than two minutes later. Caldwell-Pope hit two 3-pointers 40 seconds apart before the teams went to halftime tied 60-60.
Simons finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and was a plus-22 in 23:19. Caldwell-Pope had 11 points and 5 assists and was a plus-21 in 27:17, and Jabari Walker added 9 points and 8 rebounds. 76ers coach Nick Nurse said the reserves played extended stretches because they were playing well, which kept the rest of the rotation within its minute targets.
Nick Nurse Sees Spacing Work Pay Off
Nurse said the staff went over three major points on each side of the ball Wednesday, a day after the loss to Boston, and that the offense delivered on its list.
“The spacing and the next action stuff, that was all much better,” Nurse said.
Philadelphia Takes Control With An 11-0 Run
Barrett scored 11 points in the third quarter, and his jumper with 2:33 left tied it 85-85. Philadelphia scored the next 11 points. Maxey threw an alley-oop to Jaylen Brown, Simons hit a 3-pointer, and Maxey’s two free throws made it 96-85. The 76ers led the rest of the night.
Collin Murray-Boyles had 14 points for Toronto, and all 5 of his blocks came during its fourth-quarter push. Embiid’s jumper with 1:38 left made it 123-108, Philadelphia’s largest lead.
What’s Next For The 76ers And Raptors
Toronto remained without Scottie Barnes (left groin strain) and Kawhi Leonard (left knee injury management).
Philadelphia hosts the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at noon CT, and Toronto hosts the New York Knicks on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT.
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