The 76ers are capable of closing out their playoff series with the Raptors in Game 6 on Thursday night (7) in Toronto, but it figures to be a challenge at a rollicking Scotiabank Arena.
To avoid a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday (time TBA) at the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers are going to have to do things differently than in Monday’s maddening 103-88 Game 5 loss at the Wells Fargo Center that cut their lead to 3-2 after taking the first three games.
Here’s what Doc Rivers and the Sixers need to do:
Rely on Embiid, Maxey
With veteran James Harden continuing to struggle, star center Joel Embiid and second-year guard Tyrese Maxey must carry the Sixers at the offensive end, especially in the fourth quarter.
While Harden’s averages this season don’t look so bad (18.4 points, 9.2 assists), Harden is shooting just .373 from the field (25 for 67) in the series and appears to have lost the explosiveness that used to result in easy baskets.
Tobias Harris is having a pretty good series (17.6 points on .522 shooting, including .455 on 3-pointers, this series), but he’s not a closer.
Even with his torn right thumb ligament, Embiid has to score more than the 20.5 points he averaged in the last two defeats and get to the foul line more than 7.5 times per game during that span.
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While it’s unreasonable to expect Maxey to score 38 points like he did in the 20-point Game 1 victory, he needs to be assertive when looking for drives and with his 3-point opportunities. The Sixers crave more than the 11.5 points he averaged on 9-for-26 shooting in Games 4 and 5.
And if the Sixers aren’t getting the ball in Maxey’s hands enough, especially in transition, as Rivers said after Game 5, the coach and players must find a way to make it happen. He’s one of a select few Sixers capable of beating guys off the dribble and getting into the paint.
Since the bench has generally been ineffective, the starters are almost surely going to continue playing major minutes and largely determine if the Sixers advance or move a step closer to becoming the first team in NBA history to lose a best-of-seven series after being ahead 3-0.
Stop getting outworked
This should go without saying, but Games 4 and 5 indicate otherwise. The Raptors played harder and with more energy than the Sixers, which is more than a little disconcerting. It’s difficult to understand how a team cannot find the motivation for a potential series-clinching contest.
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“We didn’t put enough effort in to get the ‘W,'” Harris said. “We have to stay together and figure out how we can gather that type of energy and be at our best.”
Take care of the ball better
The Sixers committed 31 turnovers to the Raptors’ 20 in the last two games, leading to Toronto holding a 30-point differential (42-12) edge in points off of turnovers. The Sixers lost Games 4 and 5 by a total of 23.
Too many of the turnovers were unforced and poor decisions in terms of risk/reward, such as cross-court passes the Raptors anticipated. Being solid with the ball would give the Sixers a better shot to steal Game 6 the way they did with Embiid’s Game 3-winning 3-pointer in overtime.
Make some adjustments
Though Furkan Korkmaz had a poor season shooting the ball, perhaps Rivers could consider trying the streaky Korkmaz for a few minutes if the Sixers cannot hit from the perimeter similar to what happened in Game 5 (10 for 37, .270). If he misses a few 3-pointers, put Korkmaz back on the bench.
Perhaps Rivers could try pairing Embiid with Paul Reed for a stretch to combat the Raptors’ plethora of quick, 6-foot-8 and 6-9 forwards. The Sixers lack athletic wings and forwards — backup Georges Niang cannot guard anybody on Toronto — is magnified by the Raptors’ personnel.
Ironically, 6-1 all-star guard Fred VanVleet’s hip flexor strain that sidelined him in the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 allowed Raptors coach Nick Nurse to switch all screens at the defensive end because Toronto is bigger and gave the Sixers trouble.
“We’re going to have to do something better to help our guys defend better,” Rivers said.
Rivers and the Sixers are running out of time to come up with the answer.
Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly
