Raptors at 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers dropped the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals but have since taken control and have an opportunity to open a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series when they host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The 76ers rolled to a 116-95 victory in their first home game of the series on Thursday after stealing homecourt advantage with a 94-89 triumph at Toronto in Game 2.
Philadelphia shot 51.2 percent from the floor and handed out 29 assists in Thursday's Game 3 as all five starters scored in double figures. "The way we've been adjusting and the way we've been playing together, I still feel like we have so much potential, especially with Tobias (Harris), Ben (Simmons), JJ (Redick)," All-Star center Joel Embiid told reporters. "Chemistry is overrated. When you have great basketball players on the floor, it's easy. It's not that complicated. We all - we're passers, we play slow, we're so unselfish. We understand that it's all about moving the ball." The Raptors held opponents under 100 points in six straight playoff games - winning the first five - before letting up on that end Thursday. "I think we had six straight games of tremendous effort and tremendous defense, right?" Toronto coach Nick Nurse asked reporters. "(Thursday) night we didn't have that, so again I think that the six in a row is what you're trying to get back to, with that kind of effort and whatever."
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE RAPTORS: All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry is shooting 36.1 percent from the floor in the series and slumped to seven points on 2-of-10 from the floor in Thursday's loss. "Me personally, I've got to play better," Lowry told reporters. "I can't go out there and shoot 2-for-10 and miss open threes. We're getting good looks. Look at the film, see where we can get better looks. They're really good and have it flowing. We have to start executing a little bit better and making them pay for the randomness that they're doing." Star forward Kawhi Leonard is doing all he can to pick up the slack and is averaging 37.7 points on 60.9 percent shooting in the series.
ABOUT THE 76ERS: Embiid was a combined 7-of-25 from the floor in the first two games of the series while battling his way back into shape following a knee injury but looked much stronger in Game 3. The 25-year-old scored 33 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and added 10 rebounds over 28 minutes for his first double-double of the series. "Obviously, he is a force to be reckoned with, especially when he's making trey balls like he does, but then attacking the rim," swingman Jimmy Butler told reporters of Embiid. "I think that's how we've got to play, you get him the ball, he's going to score, make the right play. Same thing with myself, same thing with Ben, you can go down the line, but all in all, we share the ball."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Raptors PF Pascal Siakam scored at least 20 points in each of the last four games.
2. Butler is averaging 26 points, 9.5 rebounds and seven assists in the last two contests.
3. Toronto C Marc Gasol is 6-of-20 from the floor in the series.