Raptors-76ers Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Jan 17 2013 6:04PM

Jrue Holiday believes the Philadelphia 76ers' main issues lie in their defensive performance rather than their ability to score, though they struggled on both ends during last week's loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Philadelphia seeks a more complete effort while sending visiting Toronto to a fourth straight defeat Friday night.

Since winning three straight from Nov. 25-30, the 76ers (16-23) haven't won back-to-back contests while dropping 17 of 23.

Philadelphia scored its most points in a regulation game this season with Saturday's 107-100 victory over Houston, then trailed by as many as 20 in Tuesday's 111-99 home loss to New Orleans.

"The disappointing thing for me is, night to night I don't know what I'm going to get," coach Doug Collins said. "I can't find answers. It's not like I'm not trying."

Holiday seemed just as confused.

"It's pretty mind-boggling," Holiday said. "You never know what's going on. You just go out there and try and play hard every game and try and figure it out."

Holiday followed up Saturday's 30-point effort with 29 and 11 assists Tuesday, but the offensive end hasn't been the problem for Philadelphia lately. The 76ers are allowing 104.7 points per game over their last six after giving up an average of 95.8 prior to that stretch.

"Everybody on our team can score," said Holiday, who averages an NBA-high 3.9 turnovers and has 13 in three meetings with Toronto this season. "I think we really have to lock in defensively and not defer from that."

The Sixers set a season low for points and shot only 39.2 percent in a 90-72 loss at Toronto on Jan. 9 while allowing the Raptors to shoot 55.1 percent from inside the 3-point line.

Philadelphia had won the first two meetings - 93-83 on Nov. 10 and 106-98 on Nov. 20 - and six of the previous seven over Toronto, which is coming off a 107-105 overtime loss to Chicago on Wednesday.

The Raptors (14-25) had won 10 of 13 before their current skid.

"We're playing hard," coach Dwane Casey said. "Nobody can say our guys are not playing hard right now. What we've got to do now is turn on the mental aspect of things and play the game within the game."

Toronto's bench was a bright spot Wednesday, outscoring Chicago's 66-18 as Alan Anderson netted a career high-tying 27 points and Kyle Lowry added 26. It marked the most points scored by the Raptors' reserves since they finished with 68 in a win over Orlando on Jan. 4, 2006.

"We just need every guy ready when they come off the bench to give us any kind of spark," said Anderson, who had shot 27.3 percent while averaging 8.0 points over his previous four games - beginning with a nine-point, 4-for-13 effort versus Philadelphia.

Casey lauded Anderson, who is averaging a career-best 12.0 points.

"Alan's an experienced player," Casey said. "He's been around the world, he's been in the D-League, he's been cut, so he's playing with an edge. I think other players respecting him for that."

DeMar DeRozan is averaging 20.7 points against the Sixers this season, though he's shooting just 36.1 percent over his last seven games.

Holiday leads 76ers past Raptors 108-101 in OT

Posted Jan 18 2013 11:21PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) After sending the game to overtime, Jrue Holiday single-handedly took over during the extra session.

In the process, the fourth-year point guard continued to make a strong case for his first career All-Star berth next month in Houston. The reserves will be announced on Thursday night.

Holiday had a career-high tying 33 points and 14 assists, including all 12 of Philadelphia's points in overtime as the 76ers overcame a 19-point second half deficit to defeat the Toronto Raptors 108-101 on Friday.

"I really don't know," Holiday said about whether he deserves to play in the All-Star game. "Obviously, that's a goal I'd like to have under my belt. If I have to do this every game for us for our team to win, so be it."

Thaddeus Young added 27 points and 14 rebounds while Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen had 12 apiece for the Sixers, who improved to 17-23.

Holiday delivered with a tough drive and layup with 1.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Then he scored every point the rest of the way for the Sixers, helping to avenge a 111-99 loss Tuesday night to the New Orleans Hornets.

"He took over," Young said. "Jrue was incredible tonight and carried us in overtime. It was a gut-check type of performance and he was there for us when we needed it in overtime."

Ed Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors. Terrence Ross and Alan Anderson each scored 18.

Jose Calderon chipped in 13 points and Kyle Lowry had 11 points and 11 assists before fouling out for Toronto, which fell to 4-17 on the road. The Raptors lost their fourth in a row.

"They got us back on our heels and I thought we weathered the storm a little bit in the fourth quarter," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. "We got back up 10 but again, they continued to street fight and we didn't respond."

Despite a depleted lineup, the Raptors led virtually the whole game and by as many as 19 in the second half.

Toronto was missing forwards Andrea Bargnani (torn right elbow ligament) and Linas Kleiza (sore right knee) along with center Jonas Valanciunas (broken right ring finger).

While the Sixers erased the 19-point advantage and briefly took a 74-73 lead early in the fourth quarter, Toronto responded with a 15-4 run to go back ahead 88-78.

"Our guys kept their composure," Sixers coach Doug Collins said.

When the Sixers made another late surge to get to 92-90 on Young's dunk with 2:54 remaining, the Raptors countered with a jumper by Davis for a four-point lead with 2:09 left.

Young's dunk with 10.6 seconds left pulled the Sixers to 94-92. Anderson converted a pair of free throws with 8.8 seconds to go for a 96-92 lead.

But it wasn't over.

A basket by Hawes cut it to 96-94 with 5 seconds left, and a turnover by Calderon gave the Sixers one last chance. Holiday came through and tied it.

In the extra session, Holiday completely took charge and showed why he appears worthy of his first All-Star selection. He hit a pair of jumpers followed by a 3-pointer and a layup for a 105-99 lead.

"He's the closer," Hawes said. "We put the ball in his hands. He made all the right decisions and all the right moves down the stretch."

The Raptors led by as many as 17 points in the first half and cruised to a 60-43 advantage heading into the locker room thanks to 59 percent shooting (24 of 41).

But it didn't last.

"In the NBA, it's hard to play with a lead," Lowry said. "Everyone always says that. But when you want to become an elite team and that team wants to win and make the playoffs, you don't have an ease mode. You have to go hard and try to win every game and keep it going."

NOTES: The Raptors shot 12 of 17 (71 percent) in the first quarter. ... Sixers guard Jason Richardson started despite having fluid drained from his left knee on Thursday. ... Sixers backup center Kwame Brown missed the game because of a sinus infection. ... The 76ers announced that they raised $189,012 to benefit the American Red Cross through their "Operation Rebound" relief effort.

Notebook: 76ers 108, Raptors 101, OT

Andy Jasner, For NBA.com
Posted Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:20 PM - Updated Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:20 PM

THE FACTS: Jrue Holiday tied his career high with 33 points and he also contributed 14 assists as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied from 19 points down in the second half to upend the Toronto Raptors 108-101 in overtime Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Holiday tied the game with 1.1 seconds left in regulation and then poured in all 12 of the Sixers' points in overtime. Thaddeus Young had 27 points and 14 rebounds, while Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes scored 12 points each for the Sixers (17-23).

Terrence Ross, Alan Anderson and Ed Davis each scored 18 points for the Raptors (14-26), who fell to 4-17 on the road. Davis also swept 10 rebounds. Jose Calderon scored 13 points while Kyle Lowry had 11 points and 11 assists off the bench.

QUOTABLE: "At some point, you've got to have pride, even though we made it hard on ourselves."

-- Spencer Hawes

THE STAT: Over the past three games, the Sixers are averaging 104.7 points after averaging 87.3 points the previous eight games.

TURNING POINT: It was all Holiday in overtime. He dominated the game in every possible way and scored all 12 of his team's points.

HOT: Holiday was 13-for-23 from the field while Young was 13-for-19. The Sixers shot 51.9 percent -- 47-for-91.

NOT: Anderson missed 11 of his 17 shots whole Lowry misfired on eight of his 11 shots.

QUOTABLE II: "That was a gritty second half and overtime by our guys."

-- Sixers coach Doug Collins on overcoming a 19-point deficit

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Holiday had 33 points, 14 assists, five rebounds and three steals. Young also had a stellar game with 27 points, 14 rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot. For the Raptors, Davis had 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots.

INSIDE THE ARENA: There was a lively crowd of 16,574 for this game. Down the stretch and through overtime, the fans responded -- especially when the final buzzer sounded.

QUOTABLE III: "We've just got to sustain from the first half to the second half. We've got to play a full game."

-- Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan

GOOD MOVE: The Sixers put the ball in Holiday's hands at the end of regulation and the entire overtime, and the young point guard continued to display his ever-improving ability to close out games. Holiday simply took over.

BAD MOVE: Toronto could have done more to get the ball away from Holiday in overtime. That didn't happen and the result was a tough road loss.

ROOKIE WATCH: Ross had 18 points and seven rebounds, while forward Quincy Acy had four points and three rebounds. For the Sixers, forward Arnett Moultrie had a DNP-CD.

NOTABLE: The Raptors played with a depleted lineup. They were without forwards Andrea Bargnani (torn right elbow ligament) and Linas Kleiza (sore right knee) along with center Jonas Valanciunas (fractured metacarpal, right ring finger). ... After allowing the New Orleans Hornets to shoot 16-for-21 in the first quarter last Tuesday, the Sixers couldn't stop the Raptors in the first quarter. The Raptors were 12-for-17 -- 71 percent. ... The Sixers are 2-1 in overtime this season. ... Toronto hit 11 shots from beyond the arc. The Sixers are now 2-9 when allowing 10 or more made 3-pointers. ... Holiday has scored 29 or more points in each of the last three games. That's the longest streak by a Philadelphia player since Allen Iverson accomplished the feat from Nov. 18-Dec. 2, 2006. Dating to 1985-86, only two Sixers have posted at least 33 points and 14 assists in the same game -- Charles Barkley at Indiana on Nov. 4, 1986 and Iverson against Miami on April 14, 2005 and against Orlando on Jan. 26, 2006. ... Young earned his sixth double-double over the past 14 games.

NEXT: For the Raptors, Sunday vs. L.A. Lakers, Wednesday @ Miami, Thursday @ Orlando. For the Sixers, Monday vs. San Antonio, Tuesday @ Milwaukee, Saturday vs. New York.

• Raptors: Bargnani, Valanciunas
• 76ers: Bynum

• Raptors: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #20 Leroy Richardson, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 16574
• Duration: 2:30