Sixers Fail to Bring Their “Eh” game to Canada

By Dan Urda

Thirty-eight seconds in to the Sixer’s match-up with the Toronto Raptors, Spencer Hawes made a layup to tie the game at two.  That was the last time all evening that they would not be behind, as the Raptors were able to finish strong to collect a 108-100 victory, covering the spread by one point.  Hey, I’m the gambling guy on this site, I had to mention it.

Despite a valiant third quarter run that cut the Raptor’s lead, which had been as large as 15 in the first quarter, to two, the Sixers were unable to finish off the comeback.  The entire game seemed to follow a similar pattern:  Raptors go on a big run, Sixers counter with a run to cut it close but don’t quite tie, and then the Raptors go on another run to secure their lead.

In a losing effort Tony Wroten was the offensive star for the Sixers, contributing 23 points on 8-17 shooting.  Five of those field goals were from beyond the three point line.  Evan Turner also chipped in a double double, with 21 points and 10 boards, but it wasn’t enough to top DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors.

DeRozan scored 27 points, with Terrance Ross adding 24, and Greivis Vasquez shot 5-7 in his debut with Toronto. Despite the Sixers sporadic runs, the Raptors were able to kick it into high gear whenever they decided to take the game seriously.  The absence of Michael Carter-Williams continues to hinder the Sixers (although one can argue if that’s a bad thing), as he missed his fourth straight game with a skin condition.

Notable Observations:

– Ballyhooed former first-round pick Jonas Valanciudithewis (spelling not confirmed) had a double-double in the stat sheet, but was not impressive to the eye.  It was my first time seeing him play, and he didn’t look to be intimidating on either side of the ball.  He only shot 3-10, an unimpressive number for a guy who should be getting good looks close to the basket.  He still has plenty of time to develop, but those (and there were many) who thought he was going to take a giant leap this year have so far been proven wrong

– Sixers rookie Lorenzo Brown had a very unimpressive three seconds in the third quarter.  After cutting the Raptors lead to three, the Sixers gave up two free throws to Patrick Patterson, but looked to have the ball with a chance for the last shot of the half.  First, Brown was called for traveling with three seconds remaining on the game clock, eliminating any chance the Sixers had to end the half with a score.  Then, he allowed the Raptors to roll the ball from under their own basket all the way to about the three point line, where Kyle Lowry picked it up.  Because he allowed that, the clock did not start until that point, and Lowry was able to take a shot, miss it, get an offensive rebound, and take another shot, which went in as time expired.  Allowing that to happen was completely unacceptable.

– Speaking of Lowry, the email I got from the Sixers today said “Tune in to watch the Seventy Sixers take on Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors.”  That got a chuckle out of me.  I know that Lowry is a decent NBA player, but I’m not sure I ever saw a less marquee name used in a promotion like that.  Did anybody get that email and think “Oh that’s right!  They are up against Lowry tonight!  Cancel my date, I can’t miss this!”

– One thing I have to say, and I admit I am not an NBA expert by any means, but rookie Hollis Thompson looks to me like he belongs.  His stat sheet isn’t always anything special, but every time I’ve seen him play, tonight included, he seems to bring a lot of energy, play solid defense, and be a positive overall contributor.  The Sixers are obviously using their last few bench spots to throw a bunch of crap against a wall and seeing what sticks.  Thompson might just be one who does.

Tanking Implications:

This Sixers team, as it has all year, played as hard as they could and fought until the end.  Their lack of depth has really been a problem lately, allowing their opponents to go on large runs when the starters need a break.  It’s still nice to see Wroten put up big numbers.  The team is really going to have to decide what they want to do with the Hawes/Thad/Turner trio come trade deadline time.  All three have played pretty remarkably this season, and a game like this in which all three increases their trade value with a good performance bodes well for the team.  The fact that they lost, and therefore are closer to the coveted top 3 pick fans are craving does as well.  I can’t give this a solid 5 on the tank-o-meter though, because aside from Wroten, there was not a strong contribution from any of the young guys who may be a big part of the team’s future.  Of course, MCW’s injury impacts that greatly, but a lack of solid play from the youngsters means this only gets: 4 out of 5 tanks.