When the 76ers blew two late leads Sunday in their 116-115 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors, they didn’t have to wait long to get revenge.
The teams met the next night, on the same floor, with the Sixers beating the Raptors, 115-102.
Then on Wednesday, the Sixers hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first of a pair of home games at Xfinity Mobile Arena. They will square off again on Friday.
These quick two-game series are part of a scheduling change the NBA implemented several seasons ago that has teams periodically playing consecutive games against the same opponent in the same location to reduce travel.
“It kind of gives you a small preview of what the playoffs look like, having to beat a team and go out and do it again the next night or whenever you play,” Sixers power forward Dominick Barlow said Wednesday after shootaround.
Coach Nick Nurse added that it does keep you on the same team for a few days in a row.
“So it gives you a chance to maybe look at your team a little more in depth over those days,” he said, “because you’re not sprinting to the next prep session or whatever as much.”
Sixers forward Dominick Barlow is a fan of the two-game series.
Nurse is fine with this format. It’s something he experienced frequently while coaching in the NBA G League.
Barlow feels this forces players to be ready, physically and mentally.
“You play a team twice, they are going to know your tendencies a little bit better,” he said. “They have a scouting report. So I think it’s good.”
Home sweet home
The two games against Cleveland begin a six-game homestand for the Sixers. In all, they’ll play nine of their next 10 games at home.
They’ll have a back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers (Monday) and Phoenix Suns (Tuesday) before entertaining the Houston Rockets on Jan. 22 and the New York Knicks on Jan. 24. After traveling to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Jan. 26, the Sixers will entertain the Milwaukee Bucks the next night before closing out the month with home games against the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 29 and the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 31.
“I like it,” Barlow said of this stretch of home games. Playing at Xfinity Mobile Arena “kind of reminds me of playing outside as a kid. … The crowd, they are just passionate, and they care. If you are not playing well, they’ll let you know. If you are playing well and doing what you are supposed to do, they love you. That’s what I grew up on. So I like it.”
He is also excited to be home after playing eight of the last 10 games on the road. It gives him a chance to go home after the game instead of traveling to a new city and checking into hotel rooms.
The Sixers headed into Wednesday’s game with a 22-16 record and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They were a half-game behind the fourth-place Raptors (24-17), 1½ games behind third-place Boston Celtics, and 2½ games behind the second-place New York Knicks. However, the Sixers were only 1½ games ahead of the seventh-place Cavs (22-19).
“I try to look at it just from a competitive standpoint,” Barlow said of keeping up with the standings. “But I try not to get too wrapped up in it, because we’ve got to control what we can control. When you look at that sometimes, you start to worry about when other teams are losing. We’ve got to worry about us winning.”
TORONTO — Photos from Kyle Lowry’s fabulous Raptors tenure lined the hallway leading to Scotiabank Arena’s visitors’ locker room. No. 7 jerseys peppered the home crowd. And Tyrese Maxey told Lowry at the start of Monday’s matchup that his 76ers teammates would “do whatever we’ve got to do to get you in tonight.”
Maxey kept his word by spearheading the Sixers’ 115-102 victory, allowing Lowry to check in late and soak in (potentially) one last ovation from an adoring crowd that watched the North Philly native become a six-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion.
“Probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career,” Lowry said after the game.
Lowry, who now is primarily a veteran mentor with his hometown team in his 20th NBA season, received that joyous curtain call because of the Sixers’ scorching offensive start to build a 33-point cushion. They dropped a season-high 80 first-half points on 73% shooting from the floor, making 13 of 20 shots from three-point range. It was a resounding response to the previous night, when the Sixers collapsed in regulation before falling in overtime against this same opponent.
So as the fourth quarter progressed, a faint “We want Lowry!” chant turned boisterous. Teammates encouraged the crowd from the bench before, at coach Nick Nurse’s command, Lowry finally unzipped his blue hoodie.
Maxey swung his arms in support as Lowry took the floor. Nurse drew up a play to get Lowry a three-point look on his first possession, which he left well short. Teammates kept getting the ball into his hands for shooting opportunities, before his third and final long range-attempt rimmed out. Lowry held onto the ball as the final seconds ticked down in the Sixers’ win.
“A lot of neat [moments] up here,” said Nurse, who coached Lowry with the Raptors and Sixers. “And that was another one.”
The sentimental emotions were complemented by spicy ones, however. As Maxey poured in 18 first-quarter points, he visibly barked at the Raptors’ bench multiple times. Joel Embiid said after the game that he was displeased with Toronto’s Alijah Martin pointing at Maxey as the Raptors finished off Sunday’s overtime thriller, and used that as an extra dash of motivation in his return from a one-game absence because of knee/groin injuries.
“They were talking a lot last night after they won,” Embiid said at his locker. “With just me sitting on the bench, that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. So just wanted to make sure we came out aggressive and set the tone. …
“I don’t know about everybody else, but I didn’t like the way [Martin] was pointing at Tyrese last night. So that’s why, tonight, I had to make sure everybody was on point.”
Sixers players cheer as teammate Kyle Lowry (left) enters what could be his final game in Toronto.
Following this unique road back-to-back, the regular-season series between the Sixers and Raptors is over at 2-2. But if the playoffs began Tuesday, they would face each other in the matchup between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds.
Sign us up for at least four more of these games, eh?
Here are some more observations from the Sixers’ 2-1 road trip.
Get well soon, Bill Kennedy
Early in the victory against the Magic on Friday in Orlando, Nurse heard referee Bill Kennedy scream and grab his leg along the baseline near the Sixers’ bench. Then Kennedy yelled again and went to the floor.
Kennedy’s reported hamstring injury, which will keep him out indefinitely, captured the attention of the most dialed-in NBA followers. He is a rare example of an official fans actually like because of his entertaining explanations of replay reviews and coaches’ challenges.
Referee Bill Kennedy suffered an injury during the Sixers’ game against the Orlando Magic.
Several Sixers players and staff members displayed concern for Kennedy when he hit the floor. Embiid and fellow center Andre Drummond were among those who helped Kennedy into a wheelchair to leave the court.
“I’ve had some of the most unfortunate injuries,” Embiid said after that game. “So every single time I see someone struggling or getting hurt, I know that kind of hits me a little bit. … Hopefully it’s nothing too bad. I’ll be praying for him.”
Embiid, the All-Star?
In Orlando, Embiid was asked about the new All-Star Game format, and whether he would play for the U.S. or World team.
“Am I going to make it?” Embiid quipped. “I think I should. I don’t think we’re pushing it enough, but I’ve been playing a lot and I think I’ve got pretty good stats. You guys should start putting the word out that Joel Embiid is back.”
Such consideration would have seemed outlandish even a few weeks ago. But Embiid has played in six of the last seven games, including logging 40 minutes for the first time since the 2024 playoffs. He has progressed from a ho-hum late-game dunk in a Jan. 3 win at the New York Knicks to a nasty one-handed flush in traffic Monday night in Toronto. He is contesting shots at the rim and taking center court for jump balls. He is averaging 23.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, and on Monday surpassed the number of games he played in during the entire 2024-25 season (20).
And Embiid meshed Friday’s playful trolling with expressing genuine emotion about looking — and feeling — more like himself in recent weeks.
“I know I usually say, ‘Got to keep building,’” Embiid said. “But this is a moment where I’m like, ‘Wow.’ A lot of people, I think, never thought this would happen again. So got to keep praying and put in the work to keep that going.”
But … back to a potential All-Star choice.
Though Embiid played for the U.S. in the 2024 Olympics, he reiterated that he is “always going to be from Cameroon.”
“I’m part of the whole world,” Embiid said with a grin. “I wasn’t planning on [being an All-Star], but I guess since you’re talking about it, maybe there’s a chance.”
Get your popcorn ready
As Maxey packed up his belongings at his locker in Toronto, he spotted a staffer with a bag of popcorn and asked for his own.
This is no surprise. A box of popcorn is often found in his locker at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Whenever the Sixers visit Chicago, an attendant brings Maxey a trash bag filled with it.
It’s not just his go-to locker-room snack, but a go-to snack, period. For a simple reason: It’s what his mother, Denyse, used to give him most often as a child.
“She said it had good fiber in it,” he said.
Where’s Watford?
Nearly three hours before each game’s tipoff, Lowry is always the first Sixer to go through his pregame shooting routine. But Monday evening, Trendon Watford had joined him on the floor.
The versatile forward has not cracked the rotation since returning from a 17-game absence with an adductor strain in his thigh. When asked about remaining steps to reintegrate and potentially earn more minutes, Nurse said Watford still has “a ways to go” with his conditioning.
The coach also wants to exercise extra caution because, after Watford also missed training camp and the preseason with a hamstring issue, he does not want to risk another injury.
“I want to kind of take some baby steps with him,” Nurse said. “Because I want him to be in for a while. I don’t want to see three games and then not see him for three weeks again.”
Watford is averaging 7.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 17 games, including a triple-double against the Raptors in November. He checked in at the stoppage in play with Lowry on Monday, recording one rebound in 1 minute, 27 seconds.
And when Lowry detoured from the locker room for a formal postgame news conference, Watford sneaked into the back of the room to take in the scene.
Tip-ins
Eric Gordon pulled out his cell phone as soon as he returned to his locker following Friday’s win in Orlando. The former Indiana star and Indianapolis native needed to catch the end of the Hoosiers’ blowout win over Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinals to continue that program’s magical ascension.
Quentin Grimes donned appropriate game-day attire in Toronto, wearing half brother Tyler Myers’ Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres hockey jerseys to the arena. Myers, a defenseman, also played for the Winnipeg Jets.
While reminiscing Sunday about Lowry’s tenacious playing style, Nurse mentioned that the three most relentless players he has ever coached were part of the current Sixers’ locker room. The other two are player development coaches Fabulous Flournoy, whom Nurse coached with the Birmingham Bullets of the British Basketball League, and Curtis Stinson, whom Nurse coached with the then-D League’s Iowa Energy.
Quotable
Embiid on Lowry’s legacy in Toronto: “When you play this game, that’s the respect you want at the end of your career. I loved it. I know Philly’s tough, but hopefully one day I’m in that position, too.”
Maxey on Lowry’s legacy in Toronto: “Any time I ask him to set up reservations for me [in this city], he gets me in wherever I need to get in like that.”
Those things stood out in Monday’s 115-102 victory over the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
Better with Embiid and George
Early in the season, some questioned if the Sixers played better without Joel Embiid. The team lost its first four matchups when the Big Three of Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George all played. So there were some doubts about the group’s ability to lead the squad.
But if the starts of the last two games they played together have proven one thing, it’s that the Sixers (22-16) are actually a way better team with them in the lineup.
The Sixers looked lost without the full trio early on during Sunday’s 116-115 overtime loss to the Raptors (24-17). But on Monday, the Sixers looked like a bona fide Eastern Conference championship contender.
“Opened the floor up,” Maxey said to reporters about the presence of Embiid and George on Monday night. “And you’ve got to guard them. You’ve got to guard them every [second] out there on the court. That opened up the game for everybody else.”
Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) defends Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles during the first half.
Maxey scored 18 of his game-high 33 points in the first quarter in Monday’s rout. Embiid tallied 11 of his 27 points in the frame, while George had eight of his 15.
Following their lead, the Sixers shot 14-for-17 — including going 7 of 8 on three-pointers — and made all 10 free throws while ending the first quarter with a 45-28 advantage.
The Sixers built a 31-point second-quarter cushion before taking an 80-51 halftime lead. Their 80 points were the most of any half since scoring 80 in the first half against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 13, 2022.
But Embiid (left knee injury management and left groin soreness) and George (left knee soreness) missed Sunday’s game. And the Sixers struggled mightily without them to start the game.
They shot 37.8% from the field — including making just 2 of 14 three-pointers — in the first half. They had six assists and nine turnovers in the half. The Sixers finished with 22 turnovers compared to just 11 assists that night.
On Monday, they had 22 assists and 16 turnovers. Most important, the Sixers have won three straight and six of their last seven games when the Big Three play.
The Sixers’ Paul George (right) fouls Raptors forward Brandon Ingram during the first half of Monday’s game.
In addition to shooting 9-for-17, Embiid had eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and seven turnovers. George made 5 of 13 shots, along with four rebounds, six assists, and one turnover.
Top road scorer
Maxey is the league’s top road scorer, averaging 32.1 points in his 18 games away from Xfinity Mobile Arena. His highlight was the career-high 54 points scored against the Bucks on Nov. 20 in Milwaukee.
But he had an impressive showing during this back-to-back series against Toronto. The All-NBA caliber point guard’s 33 points came after finishing with a game-high 38 on Sunday.
Tyrese Maxey continued his mighty scoring campaign in tonight's @sixers win!
On Monday, Maxey made 10 of 16 shots — including shooting 6-for-9 on three-pointers — along with four rebounds, two assists, and one turnover. It was his 19th performance with at least 30 points.
Excelling on the road in hostile environments is a valuable trait, especially for a team that will play eight of its 11 games in February away from home.
Edgecombe headed into Monday night’s game as the NBA leader in loose balls recovered with 45. He was also ninth in the league in steals at 1.6 per game. And the 6-foot-5 shooting guard ranked third among rookies in scoring (16.1).
“VJ’s probably two biggest qualities, or one, he does a little bit of everything,” coach Nick Nurse told the media before Sunday’s game. “He really can defend. He makes plays. He’ll rebound and block shots, steal the ball. He’ll shoot threes and make big buckets. He does a lot of everything well.
“And two, he’s super composed. He kind of has the same demeanor all the time, same work ethic all the time. He walks around like a guy that’s been in the league 10 years.”
Edgecombe’s versatility was on full display on Monday.
The 20-year-old scored 15 points on 5-for-6 three-point shooting. He also had a team-high eight assists, one steal, and two turnovers.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (right) defends the Raptors’ Immanuel Quickley on Monday night.
Greatest Raptor
Lowry made his imprint as an NBA player during his nine seasons in Toronto. In Canada, he’s regarded as the greatest Raptor of all-time for being a six-time All-Star and leading the franchise to its only NBA title in 2019. And the fans still adore him whenever he returns to face his former squad.
Before Sunday’s game, Lowry spoke to the media for close to 10 minutes. He talked about everything from playing in his 20th season to mentoring the Sixers’ young players, his relationship with former Raptors teammates Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, and his thoughts on one day seeing his No. 7 Raptors jersey retired and hanging in the Scotiabank Arena rafters.
“If it does, it will be a super emotional day,” he told the media. “I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into that 7. And to know it probably won’t ever be worn again will be pretty special. I think something for my basketball legacy is pretty, pretty, pretty darn cool.”
Lowry didn’t play on Sunday. But his appearance on Monday was one for the ages for the 39-year-old in his 20th NBA season.
While he hasn’t mentioned anything about retirement, there’s a sense that this could be his last game played in that arena. And the 18,127 in attendance let the North Philly native know how much they still love him.
The Raptors fans began chanting “We want Kyle” in reference to Nurse inserting him into the game during the midway point of the fourth quarter. Then, with 2 minutes 30 seconds left, there were louder chants. Those chants continued until the Sixers inserted him with 1:57 left to a standing ovation.
He missed his three shot attempts, but got another standing ovation while holding the ball in the closing seconds. Lowry walked off the court clutching the game ball.
“It was a great team win for us,” Lowry said to reporters. “And, you know, I got an opportunity to experience probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career.”
TORONTO — Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Joel Embiid had 27 and the 76ers used an 80-point first half to beat the Toronto Raptors 115-102 on Monday night.
VJ Edgecombe and Paul George each scored 15 points as the Sixers bounced back from Sunday’s overtime loss to Toronto to win for the sixth time in eight games.
Embiid (left knee and left groin) and George (left knee) were back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday.
Fans chanted “We want Lowry!” in the fourth quarter, then rose for a standing ovation when former Raptors player Kyle Lowry checked in for Maxey with 1 minute, 57 seconds left to play.
Lowry starred for the Toronto team that won the 2019 NBA championship. He airballed a three-pointer on his first attempt and missed all three shots he took.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (left) scored a game-high 33 points.
Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points and Brandon Ingram had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Scottie Barnes scored 15 points for Toronto.
Philadelphia’s 80 first-half points were the most by a Raptors opponent this season. The 76ers made 27 of 37 field goals in the opening half, including 13 of 20 from long range, and shot 13 -for-13 at the free throw line.
Maxey scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Philadelphia build a 45-28 lead after one. He connected on 6 of 7 attempts, including 3 of 4 from distance.
After shooting 8 for 31 from long range Sunday, the Sixers combined to make 7 of 8 three-pointers in the first. They followed that by making four straight to begin the second.
Ingram returned after missing two games because of a sore right thumb. RJ Barrett (left thumb) sat for the second straight game.
Philadelphia’s biggest lead was 33 points, 87-54, after an Edgecombe three with 8:24 remaining in the third.
The Sixers host the Cleveland Cavaliers (22-19) on Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., ESPN).
TORONTO — Joel Embiid (knee/groin) and Paul George (knee) will return for the 76ers’ game at the Raptors on Monday night after missing Sunday’s overtime loss against the same opponent.
Embiid had been ruled out of Sunday’s game earlier in the day after groin soreness popped up following Friday’s victory against the Magic in Orlando, coach Nick Nurse said. George was a late scratch after he attempted his pregame warmup twice and could not adequately push off his leg, Nurse said.
Before Sunday, Embiid and George had gained some rhythm in availability and production after a cautious ramp-up following knee surgeries. Embiid, the former MVP, is averaging 23.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 19 games. George has averaged 16 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in 20 games.
Their returns will boost a 21-16 Sixers team playing its final regular-season game against the 24-16 Raptors, who would be their first-round opponent if the playoffs began Monday.
The two Atlantic Division foes will meet again on Monday in the second game of the back-to-back series in Toronto.
That means we’ll learn more about where the Sixers stand shortly. In the meantime, I’ll answer a few of your mailbag questions.
Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by tweeting @PompeyOnSixers on X with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.
Q: When Kelly Oubre Jr. gets healthy, should he be starting over Dom Barlow, or should we stick with Barlow, who we have found success with recently? — @Carter80113612
A: Thanks for starting the mailbag, Carter. We know both were in the starting lineup on Sunday because Paul George was a late scratch due to left knee soreness. But it will be different moving forward.
As a result, this is a great question that keeps coming up. I also keep going back and forth between Oubre and Barlow as the fifth starter. Both deserve to be in the lineup. I initially said Oubre, George, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey would make up my starting lineup once he returned.
In that scenario, Barlow would be my seventh man behind Quentin Grimes.
But then I changed my mind, because Barlow, being a true power forward, takes pressure off George to play that position. George has an easier time guarding small forwards on the perimeter than power forwards in the post. I also appreciate that Barlow doesn’t need the ball to make an impact.
Dominick Barlow can remain in the Sixers’ starting lineup and be this season’s version of Marc Iavaroni.
For me, he can be this season’s version of Marc Iavaroni, who started 77 games on the Sixers’ 1983 NBA championship team.
The power forward averaged 5.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 20.2 minutes at power forward while starting alongside Hall of Famers Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Mo Cheeks, along with Andrew Toney. Meanwhile, Hall of Famer Bobby Jones averaged 9.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 23.6 minutes off the bench as the sixth man.
I think Oubre, who had been the Sixers’ X factor before his injury, can thrive in Jones’ role. He would thrive as the sixth man while playing a starter’s minutes.
While his shots didn’t fall, Oubre made a significant impact in a reserve role during his first two games back from injury. With all things considered, I would keep him in that role.
Q: Will Jared McCain be on the team after the trade deadline? And what is his current trade value? — @MediumBall02
A: He needs to be on the team. I know some people have soured on McCain due to his shooting slump and defensive shortcomings. The second-year guard was averaging 2.8 points on 25% shooting in the six games heading into Sunday’s contest against the Raptors.
For the season, the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder averaged 6.6 points on 34.8% shooting — including making 31.9% of his three-pointers. He definitely needs to improve.
But we shouldn’t forget that McCain had his rookie season cut short because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. In addition to the December 2024 injury, he had the start of this season delayed after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb in September.
Sixers guard Jared McCain averaged just 2.8 points on 25% shooting in the six games heading into Sunday’s contest against the Raptors
Yes, he’s back on the court, but it usually takes 15 months postsurgery to fully get back to yourself following major knee injuries. In addition to that, McCain was the NBA rookie of the year front-runner last season before his injury. He’s not expected to fully regain his true form until late this season or next season.
Sure, he has trade value due to being on a rookie deal that’s paying him $4.1 million this season, $4.4 million next season, and a potential club option for $6.7 million in 2027-28. But the Sixers have time to thoroughly evaluate what they have in him before deciding on his future.
Plus, keeping him could be insurance just in case they lose Quentin Grimes in free agency this summer.
Q: Do you think Nick Nurse is being extra cautious with Trendon Watford? — @botman02_
A: What’s up, Botman? It’s not a matter of being extra cautious. The coach said on Dec. 30 that the jury is still out on Watford regarding playing time. That’s because the coaching staff hasn’t seen much of him, due to injuries limiting the free-agent acquisition to just 15 games heading into Sunday’s contest. The power forward missed the preseason and the first three games of the season with a left hamstring issue. Watford returned on Wednesday after missing 17 consecutive games with a strained left thigh muscle suffered against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 25.
During that time, Barlow has excelled in his role as the starting power forward. Meanwhile, Jabari Walker has also been a solid backup for the Sixers.
“Where he would slot back in, he’s going to probably have to earn that back in there, not unlike the other guys coming back off injury,” Nurse said of Watford. “I think it’s a bit of a process, usually.”
Could New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32)and Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0), a former Roman Catholic standout, both get the nod over Joel Embiid in All-Star voting by Eastern Conference coaches?
Q: Can Joel Embiid make the All-Star Game? Will the coaches vote him in? — @_long_live_jai
A: Great question, Jai. Anything is possible. The 2023 league MVP and seven-time All-Star has actually shown glimpses of his former dominant self. He scored a season-high 39 points against the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 12. He scored at least 30 points in three other games. And he’s averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals in his last six games.
The problem is Embiid has missed 18 games. He’s also had a tough time moving and struggled mightily on defense early in the season. In the second round of fan voting, Embiid was 17th among conference All-Star votes. Unless he dominates the media and player voting, he won’t make the All-Star Game as a starter.
So the coaches will have to decide whether he deserves the nod over players who have been more deserving in terms of availability and consistency.
Embiid’s statistics don’t count regarding season rankings due to not playing in at least 70% of the Sixers’ games. However, his scoring average of 23.5 points would rank first among Eastern Conference centers if he played enough games.
Right now, New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, Cleveland Cavs center/power forward Evan Mobley, and Miami Heat power forward/center Bam Adebayo might be the leading candidates to receive the coaches’ nod if not selected as starters.
I know one thing. Embiid definitely has an opinion.
“Am I going to make it? I think I should,” he said to the media following Friday’s road victory over the Orlando Magic. “I don’t think we’re pushing it enough. I think I got pretty good stats. So, maybe you guys should put the word out that Joel Embiid is back.”
TORONTO — Trendon Watford’s eyes widened as he walked into Scotiabank Arena’s visitors’ locker room and noticed the media scrum surrounding Kyle Lowry’s locker. Teammates Justin Edwards and Jared McCain joined the back of the crowd, with McCain pulling out his cell phone to pretend to ask a question.
“This is why I’m here,” Lowry quipped to those gathered.
The scene was warranted. This could be Lowry’s final visit as a player to Toronto, where the North Philly native and former Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova star became a Raptors franchise legend and NBA champion. And the 76ers’ back-to-back against the Raptors — they lost a 116-115 overtime heartbreaker Sunday night — represents another bridge between the city that Lowry now calls his second home and his hometown Sixers, the team with which he is likely to wrap up his NBA career primarily as a mentor on the bench and behind the scenes.
“You’ve got to find ways to challenge yourself,” Lowry said when asked about his role before Sunday’s game. “And the challenge for me is to try to help these guys every single day. … It’s just finding that niche and helping people get better — and me being in a place where I’m happy.”
The 39-year-old Lowry went into last offseason with a public declaration that he wanted to play one more season to reach the “massive accomplishment” of 20 in the NBA. Only 12 players have achieved that benchmark in league history, including two who stood 6-foot or shorter (Lowry and Chris Paul). His sons, Karter and Kameron, who are still based in Miami following Lowry’s post-Raptors tenure with the Heat, signed off on him pursuing that milestone.
Yet when asked before the Sixers departed for Toronto late Friday if he expected this to be a farewell trip of sorts, Lowry’s tone shifted to “I don’t know, honestly.” It is possible that the Sixers (21-16) could return to Canada after these consecutive regular-season matchups because, if the playoffs began Monday, the 24-16 Raptors would be their first-round opponents. Lowry also believes his leadership is “immensely important to what this organization is trying to do.”
“You’ve got to be able to kind of take yourself out of it sometimes,” Lowry said, “and be able to say, ‘OK, how can I pay it forward a little bit?’ … It’s that balance of I know I’m not on the court, so I can’t yell at them and curse at them. But I can say, ‘Hey, these are the things that I see. Let’s try to do that.’”
Kyle Lowry played nine seasons in Toronto (2012-21), winning a title in 2019 and being named to six All-Star teams.
It is a transition that those who knew Lowry in Toronto — where he was a six-time All-Star and a notoriously tenacious point guard — might be surprised he has so wholeheartedly welcomed. Though he became a starter after joining the Sixers off the 2024 buyout market, Lowry’s minutes dramatically diminished while hampered by a lingering hip issue for the bulk of last season. He has played in 42 total minutes across five games this season, receiving a rousing reaction from teammates when he buried a three-pointer in his debut at the Brooklyn Nets in November.
Survey those same teammates about Lowry’s daily influence, and faces typically light up.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe can count on Lowry to “keep it real,” including during a pressure-releasing pep talk before Edgecombe scored 34 points in his NBA debut at the Boston Celtics. Quentin Grimes said Lowry’s diligent workout routine — he is still the first Sixer on the floor for his pregame shooting nearly three hours before every game, and puts in extra individual work before and after practices — provides a blueprint on how to prepare as his own career progresses.
And though star Tyrese Maxey jokingly calls Lowry “old as hell,” he also views the veteran as “like, my leader. He comes to me and leads me, and I try to lead the team.” Lowry fosters this relationship while regularly rebounding and screening for Maxey during workouts, and when he calls the 25-year-old “at least three or four times a day,” Maxey said.
“I couldn’t do this without him, honestly, right now,” said Maxey, who finished Sunday ranked third in the NBA in scoring at 30.9 points per game and has entered the MVP conversation.
Even Sixers coach Nick Nurse, who also led Lowry’s Raptors teams, said the point guard has “talked me off the ledge a couple times” during games this season. Nurse views Lowry as a valuable conduit between the players and the coaching staff, providing insight on when the Sixers might need a day off from practice or should be pushed.
“There’s times when I’ll be leaning on him,” Nurse said. “He’ll get behind me and say [to teammates] … ‘This is what it takes.’”
The relationship between Nick Nurse and Kyle Lowry is extensive and built on trust.
Before Sunday’s game, Nurse said that he would speak to Lowry about his desire to hit the floor inside Scotiabank Arena again. Lowry acknowledged he would “love to get in there for the fans, and help my team,” but stressed that winning was the top priority. There was no appropriate opportunity for Lowry to enter during Sunday’s down-to-the-wire overtime defeat.
Still, Lowry remained active from the bench. He jetted onto the court to greet Maxey after he drilled a three-pointer with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation. He stood between Nurse and assistant Bryan Gates during an overtime discussion. And after Kelly Oubre Jr. attempted what he described as a “terrible” inbounds pass to Edgecombe that became a critical crunch-time turnover, Lowry pointed out that Grimes also had leaked open.
“He’s been there, done that,” Oubre said of Lowry. “Been at the highest level. For him to be so engaged and allow him to use his IQ to help us grow ours, it’s amazing. He’s definitely a huge leader on this team, and his voice is always heard.”
Doug Smith, the longtime Raptors beat writer for the Toronto Star, suggested in an article that Nurse should put Lowry in Monday’s starting lineup so he can bask in a pregame introduction here one last time. When asked how it will feel to see his No. 7 raised into the rafters someday, Lowry’s response was, “Y’all ever seen me cry?”
He walked into the arena Sunday wearing a signed jersey from Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews, a tribute to the player and the city. He confirmed that, whenever the time comes, he would sign a one-day contract to retire as a Raptor.
Veterans like Joel Embiid (21) know the impact Kyle Lowry has made during his 20 seasons in the NBA.
And his forever connection to Toronto was clear when Joel Embiid tried to land a playful jab inside Friday’s postgame locker room in Orlando. Hours before the Sixers’ flight across the border, Embiid interrupted an interview with Lowry by asking, “Why are they talking to you?” in an exacerbated tone.
“Where you lost Game 7 at,” said Lowry, referencing the Sixers’ crushing playoff defeat to the eventual-champion Raptors in 2019.
“Talking about how great of a cheerleader you are?” Embiid countered.
“Yes, basically,” Lowry responded.
“He’s a great cheerleader,” Embiid conceded.
Because right now, Lowry is a Sixer. And when asked about how enthusiastically those teammates describe Lowry’s impact in his 20th — and, potentially, final — NBA season, his emotions again bubbled to the surface.
Kyle Lowry could be finishing a storied career with a mentor role on a possible playoff team.
“It means a lot, to be honest,” Lowry said. “Because I really give to them the purity of how I feel about them. Like I said, sacrifice. I don’t care about myself as a basketball player. I know in my career what I’ve done. And what I’ve done is I’ve given everything to this game. Everything I could possibly give to this game, physically and mentally.
“You see me every day with these guys. I cheer for them. I clap for them. I help coach them from a player’s perspective. I try to give them things in life. I try to help them out, just overall, in general.
“I guess it’s a testament to how they feel about me. I’m the ancient man in this locker room. I embrace it, and they embrace me.”
The Sixers (21-16) were trending in the right direction after winning two straight and five of their last six games heading into this matchup. And with Tyrese Maxey scoring a game-high 38 points, they appeared capable of overcoming the huge absences of Joel Embiid (left knee injury management/left groin soreness) and Paul George (left knee soreness).
But an inability to close out the game reared its ugly head.
Maxey hit a what appeared to be a 29-foot dagger three-pointer to give the Sixers a 107-103 cushion with 20.1 seconds left.
However, they failed to inbound the ball. The Raptors (24-16) won two challenges and made two baskets to force overtime.
The Sixers built a 112-108 lead with 2 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in overtime. But the Raptors responded with a 7-0 run to take a 115-112 lead after the Sixers missed two shots and committed a costly turnover.
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (left) led the team in points with 31 against the Sixers.
VJ Edgecombe made a 30-foot three-pointer to knot the score at 115. However, Scottie Barnes got away with initiating contact with Oubre, who was called for a foul, on a drive with 0.8 seconds left.
Barnes, who finished with 31 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, made the first foul shot and intentionally missed the second to win the game.
The Sixers committed 22 turnovers and made just 8 of 31 three-pointers. But they were ultimately doomed by poor late-game execution. Something they need to correct.
“We just got to be better, be more disciplined and stay together in those moments where we’re facing a little bit of adversity, because we both made runs,” Oubre said to reporters. “But you know, theirs was the final shot.”
Barnes will get the credit for winning Sunday’s game. However, the Raptors backcourt of Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead had their way with the Sixers guards. Quickley finished with 20 points and seven assists, while Shead had 22 and six assists.
The duo had several downhill drives in the lane. If they couldn’t score, they kicked the ball out to teammates. Late in the game, Shead and Quickley drove the lane. Once the Sixers provided help defense, the guard would dump the ball off to a big man for a dunk.
“We just got out of position on some of that,” coach Nick Nurse said to reporters. “I felt we went to help a little too early, and obviously left too big a passing lane for those dumboffs late.”
But it started with the Sixers guards needing to do a better job of keeping opposing perimeter players in front of them.
Before missing 22 games with a sprained left knee ligament, Oubre was the quiet assassin for the Sixers. The 6-foot-8 small forward averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in his first 12 games. In addition to excelling when the ball was moving, Oubre did a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.
He returned on Wednesday and provided solid defense that night against the Washington Wizards and again on Friday vs. the Orlando Magic. However, he averaged one point on a combined 1-for-9 shooting in those two games.
Toronto Raptors guard Alijah Martin, left, strips the ball from Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr. during overtime.
He had the complete package against the Raptors.
Oubre finished with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting to go with five rebounds and season highs of four steals and three blocks in his third game back. Nine of his points came in the third quarter.
“He hasn’t really scored much since being back, so that’s obviously nice to see,” Nurse said. “He even hit a three, but had some really nice drives. He had a couple of good blocks and steals as well, which is why we ended up playing him as much as we did down the stretch.”
He’ll go back to being an X-factor if he can keep this up.
“It definitely felt good,” Oubre said. “It’s just, I think I could be better. I got blocked because I’m not trusting myself and the work that I put in.
“So you know, just watching film, continue to just show up every day and get better. That’s all I can do. But it definitely felt good to get some run.”
TORONTO — Scottie Barnes hit a tiebreaking free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining in overtime and the Toronto Raptors beat the 76ers 116-115 on Sunday night in the first of back-to-back meetings between short-handed teams.
Barnes made the first of two from the line and intentionally missed the second as Toronto won its third straight home meeting with the Sixers. He finished 10 for 12 at the line.
Barnes scored 31 points, Jamal Shead added a career-high 22, and Immanuel Quickley had 20 as Toronto won its third straight at home. Collin Murray-Boyles had 17 points and matched his career-high with 15 rebounds.
Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points for the Sixers and VJ Edgecombe had 17. Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Quentin Grimes each scored 13 points but Philadelphia lost for the second time in seven games.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (right) scored a game-high 38 points.
Joel Embiid (left knee and left groin) and Paul George (left knee) both sat out on the first night of this back-to-back.
Barnes returned after sitting out Friday’s loss at Boston because of a sore right knee but RJ Barrett was inactive because of a sprained left ankle. Brandon Ingram (right thumb) missed his second straight game and Jakob Poeltl (lower back) missed his 10th straight. There is no timetable for Poeltl’s return.
Ja’Kobe Walter started for the Raptors but exited four minutes into the first quarter because of a sore right hip.
TORONTO — Joel Embiid missed Sunday’s game against the Raptors with left groin soreness and left knee injury management. Paul George was a late scratch for the game with left knee soreness.
Embiid had played in six consecutive games — and hit 40 minutes Monday in an overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets — for the first time since the 2023-24 season. Embiid had been listed Saturday as questionable on the injury report for left knee injury management ahead of this back-to-back in Toronto on Sunday and Monday. The groin soreness, which coach Nick Nurse said emerged following Friday’s victory at the Orlando Magic, was added to the report on Sunday.
Embiid, the former MVP who is coming off multiple knee surgeries, is averaging 23.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 19 games. George has averaged 16 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in 20 games.
Without Embiid, the Sixers will turn to Andre Drummond and Adem Bona at center against the 23-16 Raptors, who sat a half-game ahead of the Sixers (21-15) in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings entering Sunday. Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker are also small-ball options at that position.
Nurse said after Sunday’s overtime loss that George, who was not listed on the injury report at any point leading into the game, felt stiffness in his knee while attempting to warm up “two different times, and he just couldn’t get to where he could push off it enough or accelerate.”
Kelly Oubre Jr., who returned earlier this week from a knee injury, slid into the starting lineup in place of George.
Sixers second-year wing Justin Edwards, meanwhile, has been recalled from the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats and will be available for Sunday’s game.
