Scottie Barnes led the way with 27 points, while Jakob Poeltl added 19 as the Toronto Raptors snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 115-107 victory on Friday night.
It had been nearly two years since Toronto last defeated Philadelphia, with their previous win coming on October 26, 2022, in a 119-109 matchup.
Rookie Jamison Battle stepped up in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 12 points before fouling out, while fellow rookie Jonathan Mogbo contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Toronto dominated the boards, outrebounding Philadelphia 54-28.
Kelly Oubre Jr. paced the 76ers with 28 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 24, but Philadelphia remained winless after falling to Milwaukee in their season opener on Wednesday.
Former Raptors star Kyle Lowry received a warm ovation from the Toronto crowd when introduced as a starter. He finished with 14 points.
Takeaways
76ers: Philadelphia played without reigning MVP and two-time scoring champion Joel Embiid for the second straight game due to a sore left knee. The Sixers struggled inside without him, getting outscored 56-30 in the paint. Embiid is expected to miss Sunday’s game against Indiana as well.
Raptors: Barnes bounced back in a big way, shooting 8-for-11 from the field and 11-for-13 from the free-throw line after a rough performance (3-for-14 shooting) in Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland.
Key Moment
Jamison Battle provided a spark in the fourth quarter, scoring nine consecutive points over a two-minute stretch to push Toronto’s lead from 10 to a game-high 19 with 7:29 remaining. He hit back-to-back three-pointers before converting a three-point play.
Key Stat
Maxey started strong, shooting 3-for-7 in the first quarter, but struggled the rest of the way, going just 3-for-16 afterward. He also struggled from deep, hitting only 2 of 12 three-point attempts, but was efficient at the free-throw line (10-for-12).
Up Next
Toronto will travel for the first time this season, facing the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night, while Philadelphia visits the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
