How a 76ers Surprise Helped Fuel Thursday’s Win Over the Raptors

A comeback starts from deep

Philadelphia struggled early, with turnovers and late close-outs helping Toronto build a 17-point advantage. The 76ers had entered the game ranked 22nd in the NBA in three-point percentage, at 33.7%, and had lost 123-101 to Boston on Tuesday.

Simons’ buzzer-beating three at the end of the first quarter came during a 23-7 surge. Philadelphia finished with 13 made triples, shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc in the 123-112 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Bench shooters set the pace

The 76ers’ second unit led the way from three-point range. Simons made five of six attempts, Caldwell-Pope hit three of five, and Wade converted two of five; Philadelphia’s bench scored 43 points.

Simons finished with 17 points on six-of-nine shooting. His shooting off screens and on catch-and-shoot chances eased pressure on Philadelphia’s leading players, while Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown assisted on three of his threes.

Wade scored six points, and VJ Edgecombe assisted on both of his made threes. Caldwell-Pope, 33, continued to provide two-way play off the bench after entering the game shooting 45.5% from three.

Production despite James’ absence

LeBron James missed the game for lower back and sciatica management, marking his third absence of the season. He is averaging 6.5 assists per game, but Philadelphia’s offense operated smoothly without him.

The article identifies James as the team’s best playmaker, while also noting the 76ers still need to establish a reliable perimeter attack. Thursday’s performance showed the value of spacing around Philadelphia’s scorers, but it does not settle the question of consistency.

Next test comes Sunday

Philadelphia can try to build on the win against Indiana, listed at 4-8. The game is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, at 1 p.m. ET. Toronto was playing the second game of a back-to-back, a factor the report notes as relevant to the 76ers’ 43 bench points.