76ers Come Up Huge In Final Moments, Defeat Raptors In Game 2

A hard fought defensive battle in Toronto Monday night left the 76ers one step closer to the Eastern Conference finals, as they defeated the Rapotors 94-89 to even up the best of seven series, 1-1.

The game came down to the final seconds, as the Sixers watched what had been an 11 point lead with just over six minutes remaining evaporate to just one. But on the crucial possession with under a minute left, Jimmy Butler dished to Joel Embiid, who had not had the greatest offensive night, and the big man powered through multiple defenders to lay it in:

The Sixers were able to keep the the Raptors offense largely at bay, with the exception of Kawhi Leonard, who scored 35 for Toronto and was responsible for their rush back to contention.

The series will now return to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

The star for the Sixers was Jimmy Butler, who scored 30 points on top of 11 rebounds and five assists. While Simmons and Embiid combined for "just" 18 points and 13 rebounds, they both made huge plays on the defensive end of the court that kept the Sixers in control for most of the game, limiting a Raptors team that averaged 114.4 points during the regular season to just 89.

The win was a huge one for Philadelphia for more than one reason. It flips the script on the series after the team's typically explosive offense looked overmatched in Game 1. But it also marks an important milestone for the Sixers to get out of the way, as they've been infamously cursed north of the border in recent years. They have not won a game in Toronto since 2012.

The series resumes Thursday, May 2 at 8 p.m. at Wells Fargo Center.