The Philadelphia 76ers will look to rebound from a disappointing loss when they host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
The Sixers were dismantled 118-94 on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday without All-Star Joel Embiid. Shortly before the game, Embiid was scratched with back tightness and the Sixers never responded.
Philadelphia went 11-10 last season without Embiid.
The Sixers won their first two games with double-doubles by Embiid before falling to the Cavaliers. Embiid's status is unclear for the game against the Raptors.
Tobias Harris scored 16 points and Ben Simmons added 15 but committed six turnovers. The Sixers' team defense was subpar as the Cavaliers shot 52.7 percent from the field and dominated from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
"There were so many stretches where we weren't locked in, offensively and defensively, but it started on the defensive end," Simmons said. "We didn't really change too much up for them to give them different looks. Too many easy buckets. We weren't physical enough and that's how they played. They hit us first."
The Sixers committed 21 turnovers, which was a huge issue last season and ultimately caused Brett Brown to be relieved of his duties and Doc Rivers hired as head coach. Without Embiid, the Sixers simply need more production from Simmons.
"I want him to attack the basket, but I also want him to make plays," Rivers said of Simmons. "I think you have to have a good balance in doing both. Last night (Saturday against the Knicks), I was talking about how good his balance was. (Sunday), I didn't think so. I thought everybody was too aggressive, trying to get to the basket and score, and I thought that created a lot of turnovers."
Despite losing Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka in free agency, the Raptors still were expected to be a formidable team once again.
But they have dropped their first two games to the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs. The Raptors played well against the host Spurs before losing 119-114 on Saturday. Fred VanVleet scored 27 points and Chris Boucher contributed 22 as six players reached double figures.
Yet it wasn't enough and now Toronto will look for its first victory at Philadelphia.
"It's not rocket science," VanVleet said. "I don't want to say it's an effort thing. I feel like guys are trying out there. We've got to make more plays at a higher level. It's easy to say it on offense when you say guys have got to make plays, you've got to complete the play. But it's the same thing on defense: You've got to make the extra rotation, you've got to make the close out, you've got to come up with the rebound."
The Raptors haven't been two games under .500 in seven years.
For a veteran and an NBA champion like Kyle Lowry, losing will never be acceptable.
"I think it's an adjustment for the new faces, that's one," said Lowry, who has compiled double-doubles in both losses. "But I think it's more than one thing. I think it's two games, (a short) preseason. I think it's a lot of things that goes into that, everybody making adjustments trying to figure it out. Your defense should be a little bit more ahead of your offense right now, and we're just kind of even right now with everything."
--Field Level Media
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