Toronto’s been filling up the scoreboard all season long with an offense that’s averaging 111 points per game, the third-highest in the league. But that high-scoring offense was a no-show on Wednesday, when the Raptors managed just 89 points and eventually lost to the Joel Embiid-led Sixers. The loss snapped Toronto’s four-game winning streak.
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined for 49 points on 16-of-34 shooting, but received very little help from their teammates. Other than those two, Jonas Valanciunas was the only one who scored in double figures. He finished with 10 points together with 16 rebounds, earning him his fifth triple-double this month.
The Raptors will now get a shot at the Hornets for the second time this season. Toronto won the first meeting on Nov. 12 by just two points, and that was a game where DeRozan posted 34 points while Lowry added 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Getting those two going is the trigger to Raptors’ offense. But Charlotte’s boasts the 10th-best scoring defense right now, which should force Toronto to hope for some solid production from its second unit. The Raps’ bench is compiling 32.2 points per game this season.
Charlotte finally got back on track on Wednesday night, blowing past the visiting Trail Blazers via a dominant fourth quarter in which the Hornets outscored Portland, 28-13.
Kemba Walker, as always, headlined his team with 23 points and five assists while Nicolas Batum flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, seven boards and seven dimes.
Roy Hibbert surprisingly provided a huge lift off the bench, going 7-of-8 for 16 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks. Charlotte’s bench overpowered Portland’s reserves, 44-22.
The Hornets will probably need their reserves to come alive once more, especially against the Raptors’ high-scoring offense. If not, Walker, who erupted for 40 points with seven treys during the first meeting with Toronto, will have to put on a big night to keep things close. He’s producing 23.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.2 rebounds this season.
