Tobias Harris helps Sixers beat Raptors, while Joel Embiid is held to three field goals
Embiid had his worst shooting performance of the season. The MVP candidate finished with 18 points on 3-for-13 shooting.
TAMPA, Fla. — It was a matter of making enough shots.
The Toronto Raptors double-teamed Joel Embiid Tuesday night, just like they did in Sunday night’s victory over the 76ers.
This time, however, the Sixers were able to hold on for a 109-102 victory at Amalie Arena.
The difference?
The Sixers made more shots than they did Sunday here in Cigar City.
They shot 50% in the first quarter and 41.2% for the game, including 44.7% on three-pointers. The Sixers made 38.3% of their shots Sunday, including 29.7% on threes.
» READ MORE: Ben Simmons named to NBA East All-Star team, but Tobias Harris is snubbed
The victory improved the Eastern Conference-leading Sixers’ record to 21-11 on the season.
It also enabled them to snap two skids.
This marked their first road victory in five games. They also had been unsuccessful wherever the Raptors play their home games. The Sixers had lost 16 consecutive regular-season road games to Toronto.
The Raptors are playing their home games in Tampa this season due to Canada’s border restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the public-safety measures in Toronto.
Toronto (16-16) had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Embiid had his worst shooting performance of the season. The MVP candidate finished with 18 points on 3-for-13 shooting to go with 12 rebounds and six turnovers. At the half, he had four points while missing seven of eight attempts.
However, Embiid didn’t force things and kept making the right play by passing to open teammates.
“He did overall,” Doc Rivers said of Embiid making the right plays. “I thought down the stretch we got a little loose with the ball. But overall, I thought we were fine.
“You know it’s a great example. We missed again some great shots. But I thought we had a chance to have a high-scoring night with them taking the ball out of Joel’s hands.”
Tobias Harris took up the slack, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Twelve on his points came in the fourth quarter on 4-for-5 shooting. The 10th-year veteran did all this shortly after being an NBA All-Star snub.
» READ MORE: Sixers still struggling to win often on the road, but they’re better at it than last season
“He’s as mature as anybody in our locker room, including the coaches,” Rivers said. “He’s just a mature kid. He clearly wanted to make it, and I clearly wanted him to make it. But the best way to handle the disappointment is go out and show people you can play. Go out and get 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists and two block shots.”
Those are the type of numbers Harris has been putting up all season long.
“You know maybe we keep winning and going win the whole thing,” Rivers said. “Then next year, he will be on it.
“Sometimes you play and make it the year before you make it.. Hopefully that’s the case for him.”
Furkan Korkmaz finished with 19 points in his second start of the season. The swingman started in place of shooting guard Seth Curry, who was sidelined with left ankle soreness. Korkmaz scored 16 of his points in the first quarter on 4-for-6 shooting, all three-pointers.
Ben Simmons, who was named an All-Star reserve earlier in the day, added 15 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
The Sixers had a commanding 37-18 lead at the end of the first quarter. They extended their lead to 21 points with 5 minutes, 33 seconds left in the half.
The Raptors closed the gap to six points in the third quarter, and pulled within six, again, points with 5:07 remaining.
But Harris sandwiched two layups around a Shake Milton three-pointer to give the Sixers a 96-83 lead with 3:41 left.
As expected, the Raptors went on another run and pulled within six (106-100) with 21.6 seconds remaining. But even though the Sixers committed 19 turnovers, with six in the fourth quarter. Philly held on to win.
Toronto All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry missed his fourth straight game with a thumb injury. The North Philly native and Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova product is averaging 17.7 points.