Raptors drop playoff opener as Maxey dazzles in 76ers blowout victory

Tyrese Maxey scored 21 of his 38 points in the third quarter Saturday to stuff any Raptors' hopes of a comeback, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat visiting Toronto 131-111 in Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series.

Barnes had 15 points and 10 rebounds in an excellent playoff debut before Sixers' 280-pound centre Joel Embiid stepped on the rookie's foot sending him sprawling to the floor in agony with 9:06 to play. VanVleet had 18 points and six assists before leaving the game on the same play.

Embiid had 19 points and 15 rebounds.

WATCH | Barnes sprains ankle in playoff debut:

The Raptors fell to 5-17 all-time in playoff series openers. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Monday at Philadelphia.

It was the first post-season meeting between the Atlantic Division rivals since Kawhi Leonard's buzzer-beater dispatched Philly in the 2019 conference semifinals.

Barely a week after the Raptors clawed back from a 17-2 deficit to beat Philly 119-114 in Toronto — the Sixers' only loss in their final six games of the regular season — there was no second-half heroics on Saturday.

WATCH | Maxey puts on show as 76ers take series lead over Raptors:

The Sixers' 21-point lead in the second quarter had become 24 by early in the third. Achiuwa drove past Embiid and picked up a foul. His three-point play at 5:56 of the third capped a 10-2 run that sliced the difference to 11 points and breathed some life into the Raptors. But Maxey almost single-handedly put a quick stop to Toronto's momentum with his huge third quarter, and the Sixers led 107-88 with one quarter left.

The Raptors unravelled in the fourth and Shake Milton's three-pointer with 7:34 to play put Philly up by 23 in front of the raucous Wells Fargo Arena crowd. Boucher,