NBA Scores: Sixers Fall To Raptors 94-86

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – Andrea Bargnani scored 30 points and Sonny Weems poured in a career-best 25, as the duo carried Toronto past Philadelphia, 94-86, at Wells Fargo Center.

Jose Calderon chipped in with 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Raptors, who snapped a two-game skid.

Elton Brand had his best game of the season, scoring 27 points with eight rebounds, while Jrue Holiday donated 17 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Rookie Evan Turner notched a double-double of 11 points and 12 boards for the 76ers, who have lost five straight.

Philadelphia star guard Andre Iguodala missed the game while dealing with an Achilles’ injury. In his absence, Turner played a team-high 43-plus minutes.

“We just aren’t finishing games,” 76ers head coach Doug Collins said. “You have to be able to close games. That is the essence of NBA basketball.”

Toronto went on an 11-1 scoring spurt in the final three-plus minutes to take home the victory.

After Brand stepped in the passing lane and cruised to the rim for a layup, giving the Sixers an 85-83 lead, Toronto’s main duo took over. Bargnani’s layup tied the game and his baseline turnaround jumper with 2:21 left put Toronto ahead to stay.

Turner made 1-of-2 free throws but Weems scored of a 2-on-1 break for a three- point edge with 1:25 on the clock. Toronto made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 50 seconds to hold on for the victory.

The Sixers raced out to an early lead with some sterling first-quarter shooting. A Brand layup and two Turner free throws opened a 17-10 advantage, and after Toronto cut the deficit to one, the margin again quickly grew to seven, 26-19, capped by Marreese Speights’ tip off a Thaddeus Young miss from in close.

Toronto, however, scored the next eight points spanning the end of the first and start of the second period to take the lead on Weems’ floater 15 seconds in. The teams traded blows for the remainder of the half with the Sixers clinging to a 47-46 lead.

The Sixers reeled off eight consecutive points to build a 55-48 lead on Brand’s free throw to complete a three-point play closing in on two minutes into the second half. Toronto scored nine of the next 10 as the see-saw affair continued, and by the end of the stanza, Philadelphia held a tenuous two-point edge, 71-69.

Bargnani and Weems combined for 55 points while the rest of the Toronto starters scored just 15…Young scored 10 points with five rebounds in defeat…The Raptors have won five of the last six meetings between the two teams.

Winnable Game Alert! Sixers Host Raptors Tonight

(Sports Network) - Two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference square off tonight in the City of Brotherly Love, where the Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the Atlantic Division-rival Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers are a disappointing 2-9 under first-year head coach Doug Collins and have dropped four in a row, including last night's 101-93 setback at Cleveland. Thaddeus Young had 17 points and eight rebounds, rookie Evan Turner supplied 16 points and nine boards and Jrue Holiday posted 11 points and 10 assists for Philadelphia, which has battled to the end in every loss.

"I think, one thing, they just hit tough shots, a lot of tough shots," Turner said of the Cavs. "They definitely executed, but they kept making shots. Their bench definitely helped them out with scoring runs."

Cleveland had an 11-0 run in the third quarter. Elton Brand added 13 points and 11 rebounds in a losing effort. The 76ers, who finished a five-game road trip with only one win, will also welcome the Milwaukee Bucks to town and are 1-3 as the host.

Philadelphia forward Andre Iguodala didn't play Tuesday because of an Achilles problem and is questionable for Wednesday.

Toronto will close out a four-game road trip this evening and has dropped two in a row and eight of its last nine games. In Tuesday's 109-94 setback against the John Wall-less Washington Wizards, Sonny Weems had a team-high 16 points and Linas Kleiza scored 15 for Toronto. Kleiza returned after missing two games with tendinitis in his right Achilles.

Jarrett Jack added 13 points in a losing cause.

"It was surprising to me having our team come out so flat," Raptors coach Jay Triano said.

Toronto guard Leandro Barbosa missed his fourth straight game with a strained left shoulder and is questionable for tonight. The Raptors will return home for three games against the Rockets, Celtics and Sixers after tonight's tilt in south Philly.

Both the Raptors and 76ers are 2-9 on the season, while Toronto won three of four meetings with Philadelphia a year ago. The Raptors are 12-5 in the previous 17 encounters with the Sixers.