PHILADELPHIA — This was a feel-out game.
The 76ers’ Game 1 matchup against the Toronto Raptors was a borderline formality in this opening-round playoff series. The intricacies of adjustments will become more pronounced as the series unfolds. But after this feel-out game, the Raptors who will have to make the adjustments.
They didn’t appear to have any answers for the Sixers and their balanced attack, 3-point shooting and improved rebounding in a 131-111 decision at the Wells Fargo Center.
On this night, Tyrese Maxey was an unstoppable force. Joel Embiid was the king of the glass. James Harden was an assist machine. And Tobias Harris was a Mr. Efficient.
But make no mistake, out of the Sixers’ top performers, Maxey was definitely the star of the game.
The Sixers’ second-year guard finished with a career-high 38 points on 14-for-21 shooting — including 5 of 8 3-pointers — with 21 of his points coming in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Harris had 26 points on 9-for-14 shooting and made 3 of 5 3s. Embiid finished with 19 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while Harden added 22 points and a game-high 14 assists. He made 4 of 7 3-pointers.
The Sixers shot 50.0% from beyond the 3-point line and held a 39-36 rebounding advantage.
In addition to making adjustments, the Raptors have to heal up.
Former Sixer and Raptors reserve Thad Young sat out the second half with a sprained left thumb. Meanwhile, Rookie of the Year candidate Scottie Barnes had to be helped off the court with 9 minutes, 6 seconds remaining after Embiid stepped on his left foot.
Fred VanVleet fouled out on the same play, which also didn’t help the Raptors. Arguing the call, the All-Star point guard also picked up a technical foul on the play.
Then with the Sixers up 22 points, Raptors reserve Chris Boucher picked up his sixth foul.
So Toronto was depleted with injuries and foul trouble. Pascal Siakam paced them with 24 points.
The Maxey Takeover
Maxey was unstoppable in the third quarter.
That’s when the combo guard did basically whatever he wanted to the Raptors. Drive the lane and score, not a problem. Hit a long-range 3-pointer? Too easy. Score after crossing a Raptor over? Of course!
He simply could not be stopped while making 7 of 8 shots, including both of his 3-pointers. The sellout crowd loved it, chanting, “Maxey! Maxey! Maxey!” late in the quarter.
Paul Reed gets backup minutes
The Sixers went with Paul Reed as the backup center. Reed opened the second quarter in a lineup that included Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, Harden and Harris.
Things didn’t initially go well for him, as the Raptors scored the first five points of the quarter to close the gap to three points.
Coach Doc Rivers quickly subbed starters Maxey and Green in for Thybulle and Milton. The Sixers responded with an 8-2 run to take a 43-34 advantage at the 8:19 mark of the quarter. They then extended their lead to 10 points (48-38) before Embiid re-entered the game with 6:27 before intermission. Reed picked up two fouls, grabbed a rebound and missed a shot attempt during his five-minute stretch.
With Embiid back on the court, the Sixers went on to build a 21-point (67-46) cushion on Harris’ 3-pointer with 1:12 before intermission.
Reed came back into the game with 2:32 left in the third quarter. He finished the game with three points and three rebounds in 11 minutes.
Rebounding
Coming into this series, the Sixers had to do a better job of competing physically and coming away with energy statistics against the Raptors. That’s because in Toronto’s three regular-season victories over the Sixers, the Raptors grabbed 48 offensive rebounds and scored 66 second-chance points.
You wouldn’t have known that Saturday night.
The Sixers crashed the boards, offensively and defensively, from the start.
They held an 8-2 offensive rebounding advantage in the first half. They had a 25-15 overall rebounding advantage during that time. Toronto out-rebounded the Sixers, 21-14, in the second half. But the Sixers’ first-half effort had already set the table.
