Sixers guard Furkan Korkmaz needs to earn his minutes. Tuesday vs. the Raptors was a good start.

If anybody could have used a confidence boost it was 76ers swingman Furkan Korkmaz.

A game after losing playing time to rookie Isaiah Joe, Korkmaz was a surprising starter in the Sixers’ 109-102 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.

Coach Doc Rivers needed a starter because Seth Curry was out with a left ankle soreness. Korkmaz was the surprise choice, especially after he played just 2 minutes and 13 seconds in Sunday’s 110-103 loss to the Raptors.

In that game, Korkmaz entered with 10:27 left in the second period after Matisse Thybulle committed his third foul.

Joe took most of Korkmaz’s minutes, playing 12:28.

“Right now, we’re going with Isaiah,” Rivers said after Sunday’s loss.

The banishment to the bench didn’t last long and Korkmaz took advantage of his chance on Tuesday. In a sizzling first quarter Korkmaz scored 16 points, hitting 4 of 6 shots, all from three-point range, and all four fouls shots.

The Sixers (21-11) jumped to a 37-18 lead.

Korkmaz only scored three more points and didn’t see any time in the fourth quarter, but his main work was done in the first quarter.

“Just with the starters, he has to do less, which allowed him to do more, he didn’t have to put the ball on the floor as much,” Rivers said. “He allowed the game to come to him.”

Last year Korkmaz shot 40.2% from three-point range. He entered Tuesday shooting 30.8% from beyond the arc.

“One of the thoughts before the game, if Seth can’t play, who is our next spot-up shooter and Furk was the guy, so he really came through for us,” Rivers said.

From Korkmaz’s perspective, this breakout game couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. In his previous six games, he had shot 1 for 16 from three-point range.

“For me this was a challenge today because I needed one of these games,” Korkmaz said. “The last four or five games I was struggling, we can definitely say that, but Doc today he trusted me, he gave me the confidence starting the game and then I think I did a good job.”

Korkmaz, who turns 24 in July, is in his fourth season with the Sixers. Last year was his first with extensive NBA playing time, but even then there were ups and downs. For instance he had a two-game stretch where he scored 65 points, only to total four points in the next two games.

Developing consistency is key for Korkmaz and many young players in the NBA. He’ll look to build on the momentum when the Sixers host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

Ben Simmons, who before the game earned his third straight All-Star berth, says his confidence in Korkmaz hasn’t waned.

“We expect great games from Furk,” Simmons said. “His IQ is actually very high on the floor. Offensively, he’s gotten a lot better [fighting] through contact and getting to the rim. And he’s obviously a knock-down shooter.”

Korkmaz can’t get complacent because Rivers has said playing time has to be earned. Among the reserves, Shake Milton, Thybulle and Dwight Howard have earned consistent minutes.

Along with Korkmaz, rookie Tyrese Maxey, veteran Mike Scott and Joe, who played just 3:37 on Tuesday, have seen their playing time fluctuate. Maxey, for instance, has not played the last two games.

So Korkmaz can’t get too comfortable, but Tuesday was at least a start in rebuilding his confidence.

“I have been working hard and I knew that it’s going to come, but I just didn’t know when,” Korkmaz said. “And today, I hope is the start for me.”