The Philadelphia 76ers sent a warning to the NBA this Saturday, crushing 131-111 to the Toronto Raptors with a tremendous team performance, in which Tyrese Maxey’s 38 points stood out, in the first game of the ‘playoffs’ series against the Canadians.
In a campaign in which they do not hide their ambition to fight until the end for the ring, the 76ers took revenge on some Raptors who had beaten them twice of two in his visits to Philadelphia during the regular season.
The threat it poses the star duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden concentrated the Raptors’ defense and opened spaces for Maxey and Tobias Harris to shine, true killers of the Philadelphia afternoon.
Maxey scored 38 points on 14-for-21 shooting.five triples and five of five free throws, to which he added four rebounds and two assists.
Tobias Harris supported him with 26 pointssix rebounds and six assists, for a 76ers who dominated from start to finish.
Embiid, one of the favorites to win the MVP, contributed 19 points, fifteen rebounds and four assists, while James Harden contributed 22 pointsfourteen assists and five rebounds.
The Sixers had 51 percent shooting from the field (43 of 84) and 50 percent on 3s (16 of 32).
To the Raptors, fifth in the Eastern Conference in the recently completed regular season, Pascal Siakam’s 24 points and seven assists were not enough and Scottie Barnes’ 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The second game between 76ers and Raptors will be played next Tuesdayagain in Philadelphia, before the series moves to Canada for Games 3 and 4.