Sixers Sink Toronto With a 45-Point First as Maxey and Embiid Lead Statement Win
Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) and Philadelphia 76ers centre/forward Joel Embiid (21) vie for a loose ball during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Sixers walked into Toronto tonight with their full lineup and played like it from the opening tip. A 45-point first quarter set the tone in a 115-102 win that never felt in doubt.
Tonight, the 76ers had both Paul George and Joel Embiid back in the lineup after they took Sunday off in Toronto. While the points both contribute are important, the leadership on the court is much more important, and after last night’s crazy loss to this Raptors team, the bounce back would come quickly in the same building where last night’s heartbreaker happened.
The Sixers certainly had revenge on their mind tonight when they came out on fire in the first. Everyone who touched the ball was seemingly sinking baskets. This led to them tying their season high for points in a quarter at 45, and the building went quiet fast. The highlight was an absolutely thunderous dunk in front of his bench. It had a bit extra on it and felt like it was some sort of payback for Scottie Barnes‘ insane dunk late last night.
In the second half, the Sixers didn’t let up much; they kept scoring and kept extending the lead. The most impressive thing was the ball movement in the first half, where they had 16 assists, oddly, none came from Tyrese Maxey, but that was ok because he dropped in 23 points in the half.
As a team, the Sixers shot 73% from the field in the first half, including VJ Edgecombe shooting 4-5 from beyond the arc, and Maxey going 4-6 from three.
The third quarter was back to the Sixers third quarter patterns this season. The Raptors went on a 17-3 run, but not before Maxey and George stopped the bleeding to close out the third strong for the Sixers.
By the time the fourth quarter came about, the Sixers put the game away, which they finally did with the final score of 115-102. Maxey finished with 33, Embiid had 27 points, and Edgecombe and George each dropped in 15 points.
Embiid is Still The Beating Heart of the Sixers
With Embiid out of the lineup last night, it was obvious that the Raptors were more comfortable on the defense inside, and that deeply affected the looks that Maxey and Edgecombe got and how well they were able to loosen from the sticky Raptors defense. With Embiid on the floor, the Raptors had to play more honestly, and it showed in the way that not only did he play but how it required that the Raptors respect him inside.
It’s obvious that Embiid needs the rest to keep his knee operational long term. His impact isn’t just based on his direct performance on the court, but also on his leadership and the respect he demands from the other team. That respect from his reputation and play this season has helped to get the Sixers’ backcourt better looks, and that will pay dividends as this young team grows together. He finished tonight 4 points shy of a milestone of 13,000 points as well.
The Sixers Might Have the Best Young Backcourt in the NBA
I don’t think this is a stretch to say, but I’m sure there are many who will make cases for other teams, but I want to remind anyone who doesn’t agree that Edgecombe is only 20 years old, and Maxey is 25. Tonight, they showed why they are generationally special.
We all know the scoring ability both have, but the thing that they have done this season is that when there is a weakness, they not only address it, but they make it a strength. One of the things that was a complaint about VJ’s game is that his shooting from distance was something he was going to need to improve to take that next step in the NBA. He has not only addressed that, but that is one of the strengths of his game now. Edgecombe’s first-half shooting performance tonight was an example of his hard work and ability to be coachable.
It’s harder to find a weakness in Maxey’s game, but if we nit pick, we can say he has historically struggled with inconsistent efficiency as a primary creator, mostly in the half-court, and he does have some defensive limitations due to his size against bigger wings, but he has started using leverage and his athleticism to keep himself in front of bigger wings. The way that both have overcome their perceived limitations and kept their foot on the pedal is a large part of why the Sixers are never out of any game.
Kyle Lowry‘s Homecoming Game Capped an Emotional Win
Lowry was a 10-year Toronto Raptor and a huge part of their 2019 championship team, so this back-to-back was a bit of a homecoming for him. The Toronto crowd was ready to send him off with honor and got active starting in the third quarter with the “We want Lowry!” chants. These chants continued and kept getting louder and louder until 2 minutes in the game, and Nick Nurse, being quite the showman, waited to give Lowry his own moment to check in, and he earned a standing ovation.
He had three deep shots, and every time he shot the ball, nobody was sitting. Though it would have been nice to see him score against his old team, the moment was heartwarming, and it was nice to see he got that moment to bask in the moment of appreciation from his former team.
After the game, Maxey said that Lowry has been a huge calming influence on him. This is why having players like him and Paul George on the Sixers is incredibly important, particularly with this young core that the Sixers have built.
This is a great answer to a dagger loss yesterday, and a solid way to answer. They answered as winners do. Tonight couldn’t have gone much better, and this caps a 2-1 road trip for the Sixers. They will head home to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, looking to take this momentum home with them.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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