Raptors vs. 76ers score, takeaways: Joel Embiid avoids injury, Toronto wins as seeding round nears end

The Raptors have now won three out of the four meeting between the two teams this season

Two teams in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture went head-to-head as the Philadelphia 76ers took on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday evening. The game was the seventh of eight seeding games for both teams, with the playoffs set to begin next week. The Raptors had already locked up the second seed in the conference heading into their matchup with Philadelphia, while the Sixers were also already locked into the sixth spot. 

Given the fact that neither team had much to play for standings-wise, both coaches used the contest as an opportunity to test their depth. Reserves played for the majority of the second half for both sides, and ultimately the Raptors pulled out a 125-121 win. Tobias Harris led all scorers with 22 points, while Kyle Lowry and Chris Boucher paced Toronto with 19 points apiece. 

The Raptors have played very solid ball in the bubble so far, and they're now 6-1 in Orlando. The Sixers, on the other hand, have struggled, thanks largely to injury issues. The team lost All-Star forward Ben Simmons with a knee injury and he is likely to miss the remainder of the season. All-Star center Joel Embiid also missed the better part of two games with an ankle injury. The good news for the Sixers is that Embiid was back in action against the Raptors, as he played 14 minutes in the first half.

Both teams will play one more seeding game before postseason play gets underway. The Sixers will face off against the Houston Rockets on Friday night, and the Raptors will play against the Nuggets on Friday. When the playoffs begin, the Raptors will be facing off against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, and the Sixers will go up against the Boston Celtics. 

Here are three quick takeaways from the contest. 

Embiid escapes an injury scare

Joel Embiid missed the better part of the previous two games due to an ankle injury, and his return to the court didn't last long. During the second quarter of the contest Embiid left the game after getting smacked on the right hand by Marc Gasol and he didn't return. The good news for the Sixers is that his X-Rays were negative, and thus the fact that he didn't return to the game was largely precautionary. Embiid is expected to be good to go when postseason play gets underway next week, which is good news for Philadelphia. With Ben Simmons sidelined, they'll need Embiid to be dominant if they hope to advance in the playoffs. 

Kyle Lowry is an elite flopper

When it comes to flopping, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is among the league's elite. You know your flopping is egregious when a team's official social media account even calls you out. 

Lowry is a great player, but his acting leaves a bit to be desired. 

Korkmaz was popping

The Sixers are always looking for ancillary shooting, and they got it from Furkan Korkmaz on Wednesday night. Korkmaz had his best game in Orlando so far against the Raptors, as he scored 21 points and connected on five of his nine attempts from long distance. It's important for Korkmaz to continue to knock down shots from the outside in order to provide additional spacing for Embiid, and others. If Korkmaz can consistently convert from deep like he did on Wednesday night, he could play a big role for Philadelphia in the postseason. 

[Aug 12, 2020 at 9:15 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

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[Aug 12, 2020 at 9:12 pm ET · Michael Kaskey-Blomain]

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