Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from Game 2 loss vs. 76ers

Despite a second half push to keep it close, the Toronto Raptors lost a tightly contested Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, 94-89.

Monday night, A.K.A. the Game of Thrones hangover, had two teams battle it out, with the Toronto Raptors trying to increase their lead in the series, and the Philadelphia 76ers trying to go back home with a series split. For much of the first half, it looked like the Sixers were having their way. They had great adjustments defensively and ran the offense through their MVP of the match, Jimmy Butler.

Butler had a double-double with team-high 30 points and 11 rebounds on 9-for-22 shooting in 44 minutes of action. Tobias Harris was a near double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds on another poor shooting night (3-for-11). Sixers big man Joel Embiid was fighting a stomach flu and was inconsistent for most of the night, but it was his late-game bucket that put the game away for his team. Ben Simmons, who did his best to contain Kawhi Leonard on the defensive end, contributed six points, seven rebounds and five assists on the other end of the floor.

Leonard was amazing again Monday night, continuing his postseason dominance and claim to the title of NBA’s best. Playing just under 43 minutes, he was able to contribute on both ends of the floor and was by far and away the most efficient offensive player for his team. He had 35 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal on 13-of-24 shooting. Only one other Raptor, Kyle Lowry, shot better than 40 percent, and it was largely thanks to his late-game 3s to close the gap. Lowry had 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal.

Kawhi’s partner in crime, Pascal Siakam, had his most inefficient shooting night of the postseason at 9-of-25. He was still menace defensively with four steals and a block, and had some late-game plays to help his team try and close the gap. He posted 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Philadelphia and Toronto both had slow starts to the game offensively, but it was when Embiid was subbed out for former Raptor, Greg Monroe, that the Sixers went on a 7-0 run. They never lost the lead again. They led by as many as 17 in the second quarter, but the Raptors starters wouldn’t go away despite most of their shooting woes. It was a tale of two halves for both teams. The first half, the Sixers outscored the Raptors 51-38, while in the second half, Raptors outscored them 51-43.

Embiid’s late post-up put the Sixers up by three with 24.3 seconds left in the game. The Raptors had an odd offensive possession, where Lowry tried to dribble between Harris’ legs, recovered the loose ball and passed it off to Leonard on the top of the arc. He swung the ball to a wide open Danny Green, who missed the shot.

The game was there to be had despite the team shooting 36.3 percent overall. Nonetheless, there is lots of basketball left to play in this series as they go to Philadelphia Thursday night for Game 3 tied 1-1. Here are three takeaways from Game 2’s loss.