By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Toronto Raptors had won 14 straight against the Philadelphia 76ers. That streak ended tonight. The Sixers came into this game hot since the turn of the calendar year and they kept rolling on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center, defeating the Atlantic division-leading Toronto Raptors, 94-89. Joel Embiid overcame illness to spark the Sixers, closing things out at the line and Dario Saric provided a huge lift in the fourth to help earn the Sixers their seventh victory in their last nine games. Philadelphia is the only Atlantic division team to defeat Toronto this season.
Toronto entered tonight's contest averaging 111.5 points per game and Philadelphia held them to 89 points on 39.5 percent shooting. The Sixers ended up shooting 44.3 percent overall and hit 24 of 32 from the line. They took the battle on the boards too, 48-43.
Also, don't look now but the Sixers are only 5.5 games behind the eighth place team in the Eastern Conference. Deep breaths, folks.
Joel Embiid was clutch down the stretch, hitting decisive free throws with time winding down to seal the win. The rookie center finished with 26 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks. He hit 12 of 14 from the line, with most of them coming when it mattered most. Also, it was the 10th straight game Embiid scored 20+, becoming the first Sixers rookie to do so since none other than Allen Iverson in 1996. He also finished +20 on the night to lead his team.
Trust Embiid. #MadeInPHILA
His 26p/9r led the @Sixers to a 94-89 win over the @Raptors. DeRozan: 25p/6a. pic.twitter.com/48K6Ln12GC
— NBA (@NBA) January 19, 2017
Meanwhile, Dario Saric only shot 3-for-9, but his efforts early in the fourth quarter kept the game in tact for Philadelphia, thanks to a pair of blocks and a big three ball. Dario had eight points and nine boards on the night. Four of five Sixers started scored in double figures. Ersan Ilyasova shot 50 percent from the floor and contributed with 18 points while TJ McConnell put in another strong effort with 10 points, eight assists and five rebounds. He had a big layup and hit two free throws in the final minute.
Since most of the action happened here in the fourth, we'll fast forward. With just under eight minutes to go in the game and the Sixers leading 76-70, Dario Saric came up with two gigantic blocks, keeping momentum on Philadelphia's side. It's one of those moments that shows how far Saric has come since his NBA debut back in October. Very promising future for the Croatian forward.
No one is getting by Dario right now! #SixersTalk pic.twitter.com/xjmeKOnAJq
— CSN Philly (@CSNPhilly) January 19, 2017
Saric struck again with the Sixers up 78-74, hitting a huge three from the top of the arc to extend the advantage to seven with less than six minutes to play. Toronto stormed back though to take an 86-85 lead in the final minutes, but Joel Embiid tied things up with a free throw and TJ McConnell put them ahead 88-86 with 1:09 to go. After failing to get a shot to fall, Toronto had to foul and McConnell hit two free throws with 35.2 left in the game to extend the Sixers lead to four, 90-86.
On the ensuing possession, Kyle Lowry pulled up from beyond the arc, but was blocked Robert Covington. He got the ball back, just to get stuffed by Joel Embiid in front of the free throw line. It was a heck of a sequence with seconds ticking off the clock.
Timeout with 3.7 left. We're up, 94-89.
Here's the big JoJo block. pic.twitter.com/dCuSQHfxPX
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) January 19, 2017
Joel hit both free throws, making it a 92-86 lead. The Raptors converted a three-pointer with five seconds to go and then fouled Embiid, who hit two more at the line to end it, 94-89.
Up Next:
On Friday night, the Sixers play host to the Trailblazers before heading to Atlanta for the second half of a back-to-back on Saturday.
