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Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from Game 6 loss vs. 76ers

By Jonathan Turco

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 9: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 9, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 9: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 9, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images /

3. Inability to protect the paint

The Toronto Raptors fought and fought to try to get themselves back into the game after falling into large deficits. For each of the first three quarters, the Raptors’ defense consistently allowed the Sixers to gain momentum and go on runs to end the frames.

The Raptors were out-rebounded 52-36 and 16-9 on the offensive glass. The offensive rebounds for the Sixers led to 18 second chance points. Even though big man Joel Embiid had an inefficient night scoring 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting (35.7 percent), he contributed two offensive rebounds and had 12 in total. The Raptors simply did not do a good enough job protecting the glass from the Sixers, who capitalized on picking up loose balls after their misses.

In the Raptors’ prior two games, they were either positive or even in the rebounding category, muting one of their opponent’s greatest strengths. Another failed aspect was protecting the paint. Every game the Raptors won in this series, they outscored their opponent in that category. Thursday night told a different tale, as they were outscored 56-42 in that respect.

For the most part, the game was trading runs with the momentum swinging each time. Whichever team had it going offensively and was getting stops on the other end and had complete control of the tempo. The energy in the Wells Fargo Center was too great for the Sixers to ignore and they came out of timeouts compiling bigger runs to help them finish quarters strong. They used their size to bully the Raptors in the paint, and gobbled up loose misses for extra possessions.