3 observations after Sixers drop to 0-2 with defeat in Toronto originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A trip to Toronto and matchup against a Raptors team that went 25-57 last year didn’t get the Sixers in the win column.
They dropped their first road game of the season and dipped to 0-2 overall Friday night, falling to a 115-107 loss to the Raptors.
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes recorded 27 points and shot 8 for 11 from the floor. Jakob Poeltl added 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had a team-high 28 points for the Sixers. Tyrese Maxey posted 24 but had a second consecutive poor shooting game, going 6 for 23 from the field and 2 for 12 beyond the arc.
Sixers stars Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) and Paul George (left knee bone bruise) remained out. Five Raptors were sidelined by injuries, including RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
The Sixers will face the Pacers on Sunday afternoon in Indiana. Here are observations on their defeat to Toronto:
Switching up the starters
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse made two changes to his opening-night starting five. He inserted Raptors legend Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin, shifting Eric Gordon and KJ Martin to the second unit. Maxey, Oubre and Andre Drummond stayed starters.
A playoff starter last year, Lowry is clearly comfortable playing alongside Maxey. At 38 years old, he’s still capable of handling the ball, taking catch-and-shoot three-pointers, setting effective screens and doing just about anything Nurse schemes up.
Caleb Martin, after playing 37 minutes off the bench in his Sixers debut, got 34 Friday night. Both Caleb Martin and KJ Martin spent time defending Raptors point forward Barnes.
The Sixers’ defense was far from exemplary in the early going, but Maxey matched much of Toronto’s scoring with a 13-point, five-assist first quarter. Maxey took more free throws in the first quarter than he did all game Wednesday against the Bucks, drawing (and hitting) five foul shots.
Foul trouble everywhere you look
The Sixers did not follow anywhere close to Plan A at center in Toronto.
Drummond conceded an and-one layup to Poeltl with 8:51…
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