The Toronto Raptors, battling a significant injury crisis, found a way to gut out a dramatic 116-115 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena. In a game that was as much about survival as skill, the Raptors leaned on their All-Star forward Scottie Barnes and a gritty team effort to secure the win in the first of a back-to-back series against their Eastern Conference rivals.
Barnes Seals Victory in Dramatic Fashion
The game came down to the final second of overtime. With the score tied, Scottie Barnes was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. He coolly sank the first free throw to put Toronto ahead. He then intentionally missed the second attempt, leaving Philadelphia with no time to attempt a final shot. Barnes finished the night with a game-high 31 points, cementing his status as the team's leader in a time of need.
The Raptors' victory was hard-earned, as they tied a season-low by making only five three-pointers. Their shooting from beyond the arc was a dismal 5-for-28 (17.9%), a problem that has plagued the team recently. Despite this, they improved their record to an impressive 24-16.
Injury Crisis Deepens for Both Squads
The game was a battle of depleted lineups. Toronto's injury list grew longer just five minutes into the contest when rookie Ja'Kobe Walter, starting in place of the injured Brandon Ingram, suffered a right hip pointer and did not return.
The Raptors were already without several key players. Starting centre Jakob Poeltl missed his 10th consecutive game and 12th of the last 13 due to a lingering back issue. Head coach Darko Rajakovic provided a concerning update, stating, "There is no real update at this point... As of now, he's out." The team also missed leading scorer Brandon Ingram and shooting guard RJ Barrett, both listed as day-to-day.
Philadelphia faced its own absences, missing over $150 million in player salary. Former All-NBA forward Paul George was a late scratch, and former MVP Joel Embiid was also out. This left the scoring burden squarely on the shoulders of guard Tyrese Maxey, who delivered a spectacular 38-point performance.
Unexpected Heroes Step Up
With so many regulars sidelined, the Raptors required contributions from across the roster. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles delivered a massive double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Rookie guard Alijah Martin provided a crucial spark off the bench with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and tenacious defence, earning crunch-time minutes in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Point guard Jamal Shead also rose to the occasion, scoring a career-high 22 points and adding 6 assists, including a dunk just before halftime.
The victory sets the stage for a quick rematch on Monday night in Toronto. The Raptors will hope to have Ingram or Barrett back to bolster their offence as they look to sweep the mini-series and continue their strong positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff race, all while navigating one of the most challenging injury stretches of their season.
