Lonnie Walker IV dropped a team-high 23 points but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Sixers out-tanked the Raptors Sunday.
Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 16
Quentin Grimes – 9
Joel Embiid – 8
Jared McCain – 8
Paul George – 7
Justin Edwards – 6
Kelly Oubre Jr – 5
Guerschon Yabusele – 4
Adem Bona – 3
Ricky Council IV – 2
KJ Martin – 2
Jared Butler – 1
Jeff Dowtin – 1
Andre Drummond – 1
No One – 1
The Sixers lost the game but won the tank-off, falling to the Toronto Raptors 127-109 Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.
It was basically a wire-to-wire win for the Raptors who boasted something much closer to an NBA roster. All-Star Scottie Barnes was in the lineup along with RJ Barrett, who was high man for the game with 31 points. Toronto rested the perfectly healthy Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl, but that was no match for what the Sixers put out there.
In addition to the usual suspects being sidelined, Quentin Grimes (rest) and Guerschon Yabusele (knee) were also out of the lineup. That led to the Sixers trotting out their 51st different starting lineup of the season, tying the 2023-24 Memphis Grizzlies for the most unique starting lineups — meaning we could be witnessing history Tuesday night in New York!
The loss helps the Sixers stay a game “up” on the Brooklyn Nets for the fifth-best lottery odds. Though getting the fourth-best odds is a bit of a long shot, the New Orleans Pelicans also won Sunday, leaving them only two games “ahead” of the Sixers.
Anyway, let’s talk Bell Ringer.
Lonnie Walker IV: 23 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Lonnie Walker IV got his second start for the Sixers and was aggressive early on. With Grimes out, someone needed to take on the scoring load and Walker did just that. He got downhill and attacked the rim which seemed to get him going. He hit a few pull-up jumpers and was 3-of-7 from three.
What stood out more than the scoring was Walker’s playmaking chops. He had a team-high seven assists Sunday. He was able to find Adem Bona on quite a few duck-ins. He also had this absolute frozen rope no-look pass to Jalen Hood-Schifino in the second half.
the vision, the pass, the finish! pic.twitter.com/M9WUBq7lID
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 31, 2025
Walker has a team option and it will be interesting to see where he fits. We all knew he could put the ball in the hole. If he shows off more playmaking ability, that could make him yet another intriguing option in the Sixers’ guard mix.
Adem Bona: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, 1 steal
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Bona got just his fourth start of the season and seemed determined to take advantage of the opportunity. It wasn’t just Walker that was finding Bona. It seemed like all five of Bona’s field goals were dunks off drives with the rookie big man being in the right place at the right time. The last time the Sixers played the Raptors up in Toronto, Orlando Robinson had a career night. Bona outplayed him in this one, controlling the paint and owning the glass.
If you’re looking for something to watch while the Sixers limp to the finish line, Bona’s progress is a pretty big storyline. Will he be ready to be the primary backup center next season? Defensively, the answer might already be yes. While he’s still raw offensively, there is some skill and touch that he seems to be tapping into. The recently-turned 22-year-old is a player to be optimistic about.
Jalen Hood-Schifino: 18 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Hood-Schifino has been dealing with an illness which was still noticeably bothering him Saturday night. Even after a better night Sunday you could hear the young guard sniffling a bit postgame.
Nonetheless, Hood-Schifino has been getting more reps as a pure point guard recently with so many guys hurt and Jeff Dowtin Jr. running low on NBA days. You can see his comfort level growing with each game.
He was far from perfect in this one as his five turnovers would indicate. Led by the pesky Jamal Shead, the Raptors’ ball pressure got to Jared Butler and Hood-Schifino at times. Still, you can see why he was the 16th overall pick not that long ago. At 6-foot-6, he has great size for a point guard and can see over the defense. He’s built solidly and can get to his spots on the floor. His jumper has been mostly good since arriving here. He’s also a decent defender.
The big thing for Hood-Schifino moving forward will be health. He underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure a little over a year ago and has barely played at any level this season. There are intriguing traits there if the Sixers choose to bring him back on a two-way deal again next season.