The Raptors know what they have to do to be successful, and more often than not they play with the grit and determination and defensive intensity they need.
It looks good, it feeds into their identity and it works. But when it disappears, it can get ugly really fast.
A poor defensive effort against a team missing a key offensive component cost Toronto dearly Friday night in a 112-90 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena.
With Joel Embiid getting the night off, the Sixers got a brilliant effort from guard Tyrese Maxey, who shredded the Raptors for a career-high 44 points.