In the second round, James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers will not be playing Game 7 at home.
The 76ers defeated the Toronto Raptors 132-97 in Game 6 of their first-round series on Thursday night, with Joel Embiid scoring 33 points and grabbing 10 rebounds and James Harden adding 22 points and 15 assists.
Harden stated, “We weren’t going back to Philly for a Game 7.”
Philadelphia will meet Miami in the second round, with Game 1 set for Monday night in Miami. The Heat, who were seeded first, defeated Atlanta in five games.
According to 76ers coach Doc Rivers, the Heat are “talented, deep, and veterans.” “We have to go play adult men, and we’re excited about the challenge.”
game faces. 😈 pic.twitter.com/YWT6fzNfvp
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 29, 2022
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 29, 2022
Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points and went 5 for 12 from 3-point range to lead the 76ers to a rout of the Raptors, who had lost their previous two games. Tobias Harris added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
“We were well aware of the stakes,” Harris added. “We didn’t want to return to Wells Fargo for Game 7 because we didn’t want to disappoint our supporters. We wanted to call it a night out here tonight.”
The Sixers hit 16 for 40 from beyond the arc, led by Danny Green’s 12 points and 4 for 7 3-point shooting. The Raptors shot 7 for 35 from the three-point range.
it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s JOEL EMBIID. ✈️😏 pic.twitter.com/QwnDLTtVAY
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 29, 2022
Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto, Pascal Siakam had 24 points before fouling out, Gary Trent Jr. had 19, and Scottie Barnes had 18.
“We fought hard,” Siakam remarked, “but we didn’t receive the desired result.” “All we have to do now is go back and learn from it.”
Since being swept by Washington in 2015, Toronto lost in the first round for the first time.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse stated, “I thought we went through a tremendous amount this year.” “They just kept battling, playing, becoming better, and figuring everything out,” says the narrator.
After losing the first three games, Harden complimented the Raptors for prolonging the series.
Harden stated of Toronto’s lineup, “That was one of the toughest series I’ve ever played in just because of their switching, athleticism, and length.” “They use a variety of defenses against you, including box and one defense and zone defenses. They simply muck up the game.”
signature step. 🖊️ pic.twitter.com/VcGN7rrg10
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 29, 2022
The Raptors were without all-star player Fred VanVleet, who was injured. Due to a strained left hip flexor.
Precious Achiuwa of Toronto scored 17 points in Game 5 but didn’t score again until the fourth quarter when he made a free throw. At the end of the third, Achiuwa drove for a slam, but the basket was called back because it came after the buzzer. He went 1 for 7 from the field and scored three points.
After Siakam’s hook shot with 9:42 left in the third, the Raptors trailed 70-67, but Maxey scored three 3-pointers as the 76ers went on a 17-0 run over the following four minutes to take an 87-67 lead with 5:20 left in the quarter.
“I looked at halftime and saw that we had terrific shots and would keep getting them,” Rivers said. “”If we can rebound the ball, we can increase this lead soon,” I told them. Obviously, that was faster than I anticipated. Every shot was a success.”
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The nurse called a timeout after Harden hit a 3-pointer with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter, putting the Sixers up 92-70. Philadelphia went into the fourth quarter with a 99-78 lead.
ACTING AS A VILLAIN
Embiid replied to profane chanting from the crowd by cupping his hands around his ears after getting called for a foul in the third quarter. He did the same while going to the bench for a fourth-quarter timeout.
After Embiid’s fourth-quarter dunk, boos rained down, and he went down the court with his arms lifted in the airplane celebration he used against the Raptors in the 2019 playoffs.
BRING GREEN IN CASE OF PLAYOFFS
Danny Green, a veteran guard, was singled out by Rivers for his composed performance in Game 6.
“You should bring Danny Green with you if you’re going on the road,” Rivers advised. “Really. He is unfazed by anything.”
CHART OF SHOTS
Seven of Toronto’s first eight field-goal tries were successful, but the team missed the next ten. After going 12 for 17 in the first quarter, the Raptors went 5 for 19 in the second.
TIP-INS
76ers: As he walked out of the arena, Embiid wore a bandage over his eye. Embiid was elbowed in the fourth quarter as Siakam drove to the hoop. Rivers received a technical foul for contending that Harden had been fouled on a three-point shot in the fourth quarter. Harden finished 6 for 6 at the free-throw line, while Embiid went 9 for 10 at the bar.
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