10 things: Siakam, Achiuwa step up in impressive win for Raptors

Here are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors' 93-88 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday

1. The Raptors collected yet another gritty win on the road to atone for their stunning collapse against the Lakers: It wasn't pretty, and the Raptors won't win many games shooting in the 30's from the field, but their defence was airtight for most of the night. Credit to Nick Nurse and his coaching staff for coming up with a unique game plan to neutralize the particular threats that James Harden and Joel Embiid present, and to his players for executing it to perfection.

2. The game was always going to be decided on defence: The Sixers only made one shot in the last four minutes of the game while committing three turnovers, and the lone basket was a quick two from Tyrese Maxey down three while the Raptors were purposely running him off the line. Precious Achiuwa and Scottie Barnes bodied up against Embiid to force two missed jumpers, while Gary Trent Jr. capped Embiid's night with a surprise double team to strip him of possession, which should have ended the game. The Sixers caught a few breaks on fortunate officiating and missed free throws, but Harden's attempt at a runner was cut short by Chris Boucher bravely stepping in for a charge, and he ate an elbow to the mouth for his efforts.

3. Effort was an issue for the Raptors in the first half: Nurse had clearly prepared his team with fine points on how to cover the Sixers, but none of it was executed. Nurse called timeout in the first quarter after his team had managed to strip the ball from Embiid, yet it was the MVP candidate who got on the floor to save possession, while multiple Raptors just stood around, and the ball eventually swung to Maxey open in the corner for a buzzer-beating three. Nurse joked after the game that the Raptors had plenty of energy at the end since his team "took the first 12 minutes off."

4. The Raptors allowed 51 points over the final three quarters: Of those 51 points, the Sixers shot 15-of-49 from the field including 3-for-20 from deep, and were kept afloat by making 18 free throws. The Raptors kept the Sixers under 20 points in both the second and the fourth quarters, and forced two turnovers to clinch the game. Both Harden and Embiid struggled to play their usual game, and they were hesitant to pass out to their open teammates even though the Raptors were daring them to move the ball.

5. Precious Achiuwa deserves the bulk of the credit for shutting down Embiid: Achiuwa wrestled with the bigger Embiid all game, keeping him in front and forcing him to shoot over top of his length. The Raptors' strategy was to play Embiid single coverage in the midrange, while bringing help at the rim after he took the first dribble going downhill. It's a tricky balance, but Embiid gets tunnel vision when he's attacking, and although he is powerful, the Raptors were quick with the help to cut him off before he took off. Embiid probably makes more midrange jumpers on another night, but the point is that the Raptors kept him out of the paint despite not having a true 7-footer on the team. Nurse always talks about how there are two centres in the league that makes him worry about playing centreless -- those being Embiid and Nikola Jokic -- and the Raptors have successfully locked both of them out in key moments over the past two weeks.

6. The Raptors' coverage against Harden was also very effective: The Raptors played him to drive, sitting closely on his left hand and using a long defender in Scottie Barnes to deny Harden of his signature stepback. When Harden did drive, the Raptors timed it to bring help at the basket knowing full well that Harden doesn't want the midrange shot, and they were able to catch the Sixers star for three charges, including the last play against Boucher. When Harden played in pick-and-roll, the Raptors were willing to switch assignments, trusting that even aging defenders in Khem Birch and Thad Young would be able to at least contest Harden if left on an island. Achiuwa was also excellent in this assignment, as he forced Harden into two misses in the fourth quarter when switched onto him.

7. The Raptors kept themselves in the game with offensive rebounding: It was an ugly game for most of the night, as both Trent Jr. and Barnes were woeful while Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby sat out due to injuries. However, the Sixers were never able to establish a lead after the first quarter because of how tirelessly the Raptors worked on the offensive glass. Even though the Sixers have Embiid in the middle, they are actually below average in terms of defensive rebounding, and it's because they're small on the perimeter. The Raptors had three players who collected five offensive rebounds each, while that was the total number the Sixers had as an entire team. Part of this comes down to coaching philosophy as well, as Doc Rivers ignores the glass to prioritize transition defence, whereas Nurse presses his team's advantage in length and athleticism. The added advantage of offensive rebounding is that it tires the opponent out, especially in the case of Embiid, who is asked to carry the team on both ends.

8. Siakam was impressive as the Raptors' leader. He was steady throughout, finishing with 26 points on 50 per cent shooting while outdueling both Harden and Embiid. Siakam took it the length of the floor for back-to-back layups early on, hunted for mismatches against the Sixers' weaker defenders in Tobias Harris and Georges Niang, and most importantly, the forward hit the big shots when the Raptors needed them most. During an extended cold spell in the third quarter, it was Siakam who nailed a three to snap a run of 12 straight missed shots by the Raptors. And in a one-point game with two minutes left, it was Siakam who drove through into the teeth of the defence before spinning back for a short fadeaway to put the Raptors up three. Barnes was uncharacteristically tentative in the paint with Embiid lurking, while Trent Jr. was getting devoured by Matisse Thybulle, which left Siakam as the only reliable scorer for the team.

9. Achiuwa's offence was vital on a night where nobody else was there to assist Siakam: Achiuwa went on a personal 8-0 run with a pair of threes in the second quarter as the Raptors erased the Sixers' lead to go into the break ahead, and was vital in the fourth quarter with a pair of breakaway dunks and a baseline fadeaway over Harden. Achiuwa is clearly on a hot streak of late, but it's not just luck that is powering his run. He's so much more sound in his decision making in terms of the shots he is taking, and that is leading to these outings where he shoots 9-for-15. Opponents have also started to close out with moderate intent against Achiuwa on the 3-point line, which is opening up chances for him to put it on the deck. And as with any big who runs the floor hard, he also feasts on a fair number of baskets in transition.

10. Armoni Brooks has been useful in a pinch as a 10-day player: Brooks' defence is better than advertised, as he is in the right spots and has good athleticism for rebounds as a smaller guard. More importantly, Brooks shows a willingness to shoot and a thorough understanding that his job is to hit jumpers. Since joining the Raptors earlier on the month, Brooks has attempted 13 shots which have all come from deep, including a quick triple in transition during the fourth quarter. The Raptors have badly needed a player all season who comes off the bench and looks to fire from deep with any efficiency, and although Brooks is small, his skillset fits what the Raptors are lacking.