Raptors vs. 76ers Game 4 score, takeaways: Kawhi Leonard fuels Toronto to vital playoff victory, 2-2 series tie

After getting smoked in Game 3, the Toronto Raptors needed a big response on Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia 76ers. Kawhi Leonard and Co. delivered, securing a 101-96 victory in Game 4 to even their second-round series at 2-2.

The Raptors jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the first quarter, and though they weren't able to pull away, they led for the entire first half, taking a slim two-point lead into the break. The second half was just as close, as the two teams traded basket for basket much of the way, playing within six points of each other for nearly the entirety of the second half. 

Clinging to a one-point lead with just over a minute to play in the game, Kawhi Leonard stepped up once again for the Raptors, burying a pull-up triple to extend their lead to four with 1:02 left. When Tobias Harris missed a 3 of his own on the other end, the Raptors secured the rebound and were in full control. They hit their free throws down the stretch and held on for the crucial victory. 

Leonard finished with 39 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in another fantastic postseason performance, and he finally got some help from his teammates. Marc Gasol and Kyle Lowry combined for 30 points, while Serge Ibaka chipped in 12 of his own off the bench. 

On the Sixers' side, Jimmy Butler led the way with 29 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, but they got just 21 points combined from Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. 

Here are a few takeaways from the Raptors' big win:

Leonard delivers again

Thus far in the postseason, Kawhi Leonard has been every bit the player the Raptors were hoping he would be when they traded for him last summer. Coming into Game 4 he was averaging over 31 points in the playoffs as a whole and a remarkable 37.7 points in this series. He upped both of those numbers on Sunday, delivering another stunning performance. Leonard finished with 39 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, while also hitting a dagger 3-pointer with just over a minute to play to push the Raptors' lead to four. While Leonard has been known primarily for his defense throughout his career -- and he's still great on that end -- he's showing in this series that he's a dominant offensive player as well.

Raptors' role players step up

In Games 2 and 3 of this series, Kawhi Leonard averaged 34 points on 56 percent shooting, but the Raptors still lost both games. That was because he didn't get any support from his supporting cast. In Game 2, Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Danny Green and Serge Ibaka combined for 30 points, and in Game 3 they weren't much better, going for 31 together. But on Sunday afternoon, they stepped up. None of them went off, per say, but that wasn't necessary because they were all contributing. All four scored in double figures, and, led by Gasol's 16 points, combined for 53. That was a huge boost compared to the last two games, and without their improved play there's no chance the Raptors win this game and go back to Toronto tied up at 2-2. 

Embiid and Simmons don't do enough

Ben Simmons is one of the most talented young players in the league, but there are still games -- especially in the playoffs -- where he just disappears. Sunday's Game 4 was one of them, as he delivered just 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting in 38 minutes. For a player with the natural gifts that he has, there shouldn't be nights where you forget he's on the floor, but due to his inability to shoot the ball outside of the paint, he can be schemed out of games by good teams who are locked in on defense and don't let the Sixers get out in transition. 

Meanwhile, Joel Embiid also didn't do enough for the Sixers. Some of that was due in part to the illness he's battling, but the simple fact is the Sixers needed more from him in this game. When it turned into a halfcourt battle, they had too much trouble scoring unless Jimmy Butler bailed them out. Embiid finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals, and the Sixers were plus-17 when he was out on the floor, which shows he was still having a positive impact on their play. But he only took seven shots and wasn't getting the ball in the areas he needs to in order to be effective. Philly will have to hope that he's closer to 100 percent in Game 5. 

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