Sixers lose to the Toronto Raptors, 118-105, but increase their draft lottery odds
Quentin Grimes was again the Sixers’ primary offensive threat, finishing with 29 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
TORONTO — The 76ers lost the game, but won the race to the tank.
The Raptors’ 118-105 victory over the Sixers Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena flipped those teams’ spots in the draft lottery standings, at least temporarily increasing the Sixers’ odds of keeping their first-round pick at the end of this woeful season.
The Sixers (22-43), who have lost 16 of their past 19 games, entered the night a half-game “behind” the Raptors (23-43) and Brooklyn Nets (22-43) for the NBA’s fifth-worst record with 17 games remaining. Brooklyn on Thursday plays at the Chicago Bulls, who hold the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers’ pick is top-6 protected, and would go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it lands seventh or lower because of the 2020 Al Horford trade.
If the Sixers finish the regular season with the NBA’s fifth-worst record, they would have a 64% chance of keeping their pick. That figure decreases to 45.8% with the sixth-worst record, and 31.9% with the seventh-worst record.
» READ MORE: Former Sixer Georges Niang not bitter after being traded from East’s top team: ‘Honestly, it’s been awesome’
The Sixers and Raptors play once more, on March 30 in Philly. The Sixers also have other “tankathon” matchups remaining against the San Antonio Spurs (March 21), New Orleans Pelicans (March 24), and Washington Wizards (March 26 and April 9).
But the opportunity for the shorthanded Sixers to up those odds turned dicey, when they cut a 22-point second-quarter deficit to three late in the third period, before Toronto finished off the win in the final frame.
The Sixers played again Wednesday without stars Tyrese Maxey (back/finger) — who will see a hand specialist Thursday, according to a league source — Paul George (groin) and Joel Embiid (knee, out for rest of season). They did welcome back rotation players Kelly Oubre Jr. (13 points, five rebounds) and Andre Drummond (four points, six rebounds) from health issues, but then lost newcomer Lonnie Walker IV after he hit his head on the court on a fall while attempting to grab a rebound in the first quarter. A source told The Inquirer that Walker had cleared initial concussion tests but would continue to be evaluated following the game.
Toronto also was without several prominent players, including Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley.
That again made Quentin Grimes the Sixers’ primary offensive threat, finishing with 29 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Jeff Dowtin Jr., a former Raptor, scored a career-high 20 points on 9-for-14 shooting off the bench, while rookie big man Adem Bona had 13 points and nine rebounds.
» READ MORE: Five years after the NBA — and the world — stopped, Sixers reflect on COVID shutdown: ‘It was a crazy time’
But the Sixers as a team were plagued by poor outside shooting, going 7-of-35 from three-point range. Those offensive issues — plus their inability to guard the arc in the first half — helped the Raptors use a lengthy 25-6 second-quarter run to build a 57-35 lead, when Jared Rhoden buried a three-pointer with less than five minutes remaining before the break.
“The three-point line was a humungous difference tonight,” coach Nick Nurse said. “After the first quarter, I thought we were doing a decent job of getting the ball out to open shooters, and went a long time without hitting any.”
The Sixers got back within 71-62 on a Justin Edwards finish early in the third quarter. But the Raptors answered with a 10-2 run, capped by a Jakob Poeltl push shot that forced a Nurse timeout. The Sixers again reduced the deficit to 89-86 when Dowtin followed a three-pointer with a floater in the period’s final minute, but the Raptors began the fourth on a 12-2 run including another Rhoden three-pointer.
The Sixers return home to host the Indiana Pacers on Friday (7 p.m., NBCSP), before embarking on their longest road trip of the season at the Dallas Mavericks (Sunday), Houston Rockets (Monday), Thunder (Wednesday), Spurs (March 21), Atlanta Hawks (March 23), and Pelicans (March 24).