NBA 2018-19: 3 Talking points from the Toronto Raptors win over the Philadelphia 76ers

The Toronto Raptors handed the Philadelphia 76ers their 13th consecutive loss in Canada, with a 113-102 victory in this game. The Raptors showed resilience in bouncing back from Monday's loss to the Nuggets and improved to 11-3 at home while developing an NBA-best 21-5 record atop the Eastern Conference.

This Philly loss to Toronto also means that the latter has won 20 of the last 22 games since the start of the 2013-14 season.

Let's focus on some key takeaways from this showcase of two of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams.

#3 Joel Embiid did not look like the dominant entity we know

Joel Embiid is 7th in the league in points per game

Embiid has been solidifying his early case for the MVP award by averaging career-high numbers this season, but this game did not fall in place for him.

Although he finished with a double-double, his contribution provided little-to-no help for his team. He finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds, shooting a miserable 5 of 17 (second worst of the season) from the floor. He could not make a single three-pointer (he attempted four) and missed the only pair of free-throws he got throughout the night. And to insult to injury, he played a wholesome 36-minute game to put up such downcast numbers.

This is what he had to say about his performance after the game:

"We throw the ball alot, and we gave up a lot of offensive rebound .. and I suck. Man, I wasn't making anything. In fact, the past few games I have been trash .. So, got to figure that part out if I want to help the team win some games."

Well, he was being a bit too hard on himself as the stats suggest he has been averaging 24.3 points per game for the previous 10 games. But nevertheless, keeping in mind the benchmark he has set for himself this year, it can be considered relatively bad and it did play a huge part in the Sixers' downfall against the might Raptors.

#2 Jonas Valaciunas & Serge Ibaka are the new-look 'Twin Towers' for the Raptors

Serge Ibaka is averaging 16.5 points per game this season

Though the inclusion of Serge into the Raptors starting lineup has meant relatively lesser playing minutes for Valanciunas, he has embraced the role of coming off the bench and contributing to the team's needs whenever and wherever.

Jonas dropped a season-high 26 points in just 18 minutes of playtime along with 8 rebounds and a couple of assists, scoring 18 of his 26 in the fourth quarter. His colleague Ibaka pooled in 18 points of his own, shooting 7-13 from the floor.

Pascal Siakam helped the 7-footers' cause when he pulled down an impressive 5 rebounds on the offensive glass while Ibaka grabbed a couple too. As an add-on to just what Embiid stated in the previous slide, Raptors recorded an imposing 17 offensive rebounds in the game.

You can only imagine the second chance opportunities their big men are getting them on a nightly basis. As a result, this new-look Raptors team is top 10 in the league in both offensive and defensive rating.

#1 Kawhi Leonard proved that he belongs atop the MVP leaderboard

Leonard finished with a game-high 36 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Philly just could not stop 'The Claw' as he comfortably netted five of his six shots from deep.

Although the Sixers held an early lead, Kawhi's unfazed playmaking and his ability to get wherever he wanted to on the court, no matter who guarded him, helped Toronto crawl back into the game and take control. He led the home team's late-game surge, getting Toronto an invincible 15-point cushion, highlighted by a dominant fastbreak dunk.

Leonard has been averaging no less than 26 points a game in both Toronto's wins and losses, which goes to show how cold-blooded this man can be. That's the type of composure you need when you are eyeing the NBA title and nothing less at the end of the season.

Toronto's coach, Nick Nurse, praised Kawhi after the game.

"He's an immense talent, he really is.And when the stakes go up a little bit, he's going to play his hand a little harder."