Raptors complete the season sweep against Sixers 127-109

Toronto easily takes this one, led by RJ who finished with 31

Prior to the start of the season, it’s unlikely that anyone would have predicted this, but the Toronto Raptors have successfully swept the Philadelphia 76ers. In a full pendulum swing from last season when they dropped all four games, this is a welcome sight for any Raps fan. The ongoing rivalry over the last few years has added enough fuel that the lineup is irrelevant. A win is a win.

The Raptors started the 51st new lineup of the season, with Shead, Walter, Barnes, Robinson, and Barrett on the floor. With the exception of Lawson who played mere minutes at the end, every Raptor had a positive +/-.

Undoubtedly, Barrett was the star of the game. He commented before the game to the media that he wanted to show his abilities as a true two-way player and he clearly demonstrated that. Finishing with 31-5-5, his shot selection and dominance around the basket were on full display, and despite his predictability at times, he is still able to overpower defenders. He made excellent choices as well, dumping the ball off repeatedly to find open teammates.

Rookies Ja’Kobe Walter (17-8-4) and Jamison Battle (16-7-1) had big contributions as well, a product of all the minutes they’ve been seeing and the chemistry they’re starting to build. Jamal Shead also deserves some attention for the 9 assists he had on top of 11 points as he continues to be an excellent initiator of their offence.

For Philly, all of their starters made it to double digit scoring, with veteran Lonnie Walker IV leading with 23 points. Ricky Council IV was excellent for them as well, finishing with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double. Hood-Schifino had 18 points and 5 assists, another great pick up for Philly this season on a Two-Way contract.

The first few minutes of the game were somehow both exceptionally quick and slow. Both teams seemed to have lots of energy, getting the ball up and down the court. Despite this, a lack of discipline defensively led to countless fouls, so it took a little while for everyone to get settled in.

RJ stood out immediately, with a shooters’ touch:

He also had a perfectly timed handoff for Mogbo under the basket:

Philly’s youth was apparent throughout the first, with miscommunications and turnovers costing them countless possessions early. Shead was the instigator in many of those plays, with 3 steals, a block, and 4 assists in his shift in the frame.

Toronto stayed in front, but wasn’t able to build a substantial lead. The defence of Philly was fairly physical, and Scottie continuously reminded the referees he was owed a foul.

In the second quarter, the Raptors were finally able to draw ahead. A 14-2 run, spurned by RJ’s decisiveness gave them a leg up. Ja’Kobe got a hot hand as well, scoring from long range and in the paint. The momentum of the game was clear, but it briefly felt like they took their foot off the gas, their offence stalling. Philly benefited from the veteran presence of Lonnie Walker IV, but despite their best efforts, were unable to close the gap.

As the clock was expiring, Shead’s long range shot rattled out, but Walter was able to pop it up and in:

In the third, Philly made a few attempts to draw even, but only made it within single digits. Jared Butler started to find momentum, along with Hood-Schifino, but Toronto was able to stifle them. RJ drew a foul, but missed both free throws, the one gap in his game lately. Defensively they remained engaged and managed to muscle through a variety of defensive looks from Philly as they attempted to find a way back into the game.

Any time they got close, a few changes to the lineup seemed to fix the issue. Scottie continues to show his growth, from jumpers at the elbow, to rim-rocking dunks:

Jamison Battle showed a couple of fun looks as well with a tough jumper, a strong cut to the rim, and continued success from long range:

The final minutes of the game ticked away and fans slowly filtered out of the arena, knowing that Toronto would confidently come away with the decisive 127-109 win.

Next, they travel to Chicago where they will face the Bulls on Tuesday at 8:00 pm ET.