TORONTO (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored a career-high 44 points, carrying the Philadelphia 76ers without Joel Embiid to a 112-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Embiid sat out because of a sore right knee. A five-time All Star and the reigning NBA scoring champion, Embiid is averaging 27.6 points and 10 rebounds in five games.
They didn't miss him and didn't even need much from James Harden because of Maxey, who made his first 10 shots, seven of them from long range, and didn’t miss until a 3-pointer rimmed out with 8 minutes left in the third quarter. He shot 15 for 20 overall, going a career-best 9 for 12 from outside.
De’Anthony Melton and Tobias Harris each scored 13 points and Harden had 11 as the 76ers led from wire-to-wire and won for the second time in six games, splitting a pair north of the border against their Atlantic Division rivals.
Pascal Siakam had 26 points and 10 rebounds, O.G. Anunoby scored 19 points and Scottie Barnes had 13 for the Raptors, who lost for the first time in three home games. Toronto’s 90 points were a season low.
Raptors All Star guard Fred VanVleet shot 0 for 11, going 0 for 8 from 3-point range. VanVleet scored one point.
Maxey had a team-high eight rebounds and four assists. He shot 5 for 6 at the free throw line.
He was 5 for 5 in the first, starting the quarter with four straight 3-pointers and ending it with a buzzer-beating shot to give the 76ers a 28-26 lead. Philadelphia made 7 of 14 from long range in the first.
Maxey made five more shots in the second, two of them from distance, and Harden scored eight points to give the visitors a 65-48 lead at the half. The Sixers shot 15 for 24 in the second.
Anunoby cut it to 70-64 with a steal and dunk with 4:09 left in the third but Maxey replied with four points as Philadelphia took an 81-70 lead to the fourth.
TIP-INS
76ers: Melton started with Embiid out. … After shooting 25 for 44 in the first half, Philadelphia shot 6 for 20 in the third quarter. … Maxey’s previous career high was 39, set against Denver on Jan. 9, 2021.
Raptors: Toronto made 10 turnovers in the first half, leading to 18 points for the 76ers. The Raptors didn’t make a first-half turnover in Wednesday’s 119-109 win over Philadelphia, and had nine in the game. They had 17 Friday. … Toronto didn’t score a bench point in the first half. … F Otto Porter Jr. (personal reasons) was not available.
UP NEXT
76ers: Visit Chicago on Saturday night.
Raptors: Host Atlanta on Monday night.
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