AJ Lawson scored 28 points, Jared Rhoden recorded career highs with 25 points and 12 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors secured a 118-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in a battle between short-handed teams.
Orlando Robinson also set a career-high with 25 points and matched his best-rebounding total with 12, helping the Raptors claim their fifth win in six games.
Philadelphia welcomed back Andre Drummond, who missed Monday’s loss in Atlanta due to illness. However, they were still missing eight key players, including Joel Embiid (knee), Tyrese Maxey (back/finger), Paul George (groin), and former Raptors star Kyle Lowry (hip).
Toronto was also without nine players, including Scottie Barnes (hand), RJ Barrett (personal reasons), and Immanuel Quickley (rest).
Quentin Grimes led the 76ers with 29 points, while Jeff Dowtin Jr. chipped in a career-best 20 against his former team, but Philadelphia has now lost five of its last seven games following a nine-game losing streak.
The 76ers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 7-for-35 from deep, and their road woes continued with an eighth straight-away loss.
Takeaways
76ers: Lonnie Walker IV exited the game after just 20 seconds, suffering a hard fall that resulted in him hitting the back of his head on the court. Though he walked off under his own power, he did not return.
Raptors: Colin Castleton earned his first NBA start, grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds in the win.
Key Moment
Philadelphia trimmed a 14-point halftime deficit to just three points by the end of the third quarter. However, Toronto responded with a 12-2 surge to start the fourth, regaining a double-digit lead and securing control of the game.
Key Stat
The Raptors caught fire in the second quarter, hitting 8 of 12 from beyond the arc while scoring 40 points. The only major miss? Lawson’s 34-foot attempt at the halftime buzzer.
Up Next
Both teams return to action on Friday night. Philadelphia hosts Indiana, while Toronto kicks off a four-game road trip at Utah.
