Serge Ibaka admits he didn't expect 76ers to push Raptors to Game 7 in 2019: "They only got two guys who really was lifting their team"

With Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors knew they had a chance to win the 2019 NBA championship. However, according to Serge Ibaka, they did not think they would face their toughest challenge early in the postseason, when they played the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.

The Raptors entered that series with a 66.67 percent probability of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals. They had the better regular season record, the higher seed and home court advantage. They also had the better offensive and defensive ratings.

But when it was time to play, Ibaka said the Sixers pushed them to the limit.

“That series was one of the hardest series for us,” he said. “I think it was the hardest series for us during that playoffs, and we went to Game 7 because man, they was playing hard. They have those guys out there playing so hard. Honestly, going to that series, I felt like on paper, we was the better team. But when the time comes full man they was playing hard. Joel and Jimmy, they was playing hard.”

The uncertainty of Game 7

The 76ers (51-31) finished the 2018-19 regular season as the third seed in the East, seven games behind the 58-win Raptors. They had five double-digit scorers: Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons and JJ Redick.

Butler led the Sixers in scoring with 22.0 points while also averaging 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game throughout the series. However, Embiid struggled, averaging only 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 blocks.

Still, Ibaka wasn’t too confident about the Raptors advancing when the series went to Game 7.

“Honestly, they had a good team, but they only got two guys who really was lifting their team. I don’t want to take credit from the other guys, they was playing hard. But us, if you don’t have Kawhi, you got a Pascal, you got a Kyle, you got Marc, you got myself. They were just playing hard. Then we went to Game 7 and I was like, ‘Damn! When you go to Game 7, anything can happen,'” he added.

Kawhi’s iconic game-winner

In Game 7, the Sixers gave the Raptors all they could handle. Even with Embiid and Butler shooting a combined 11-of-32 from the field, Philadelphia almost stole a win.

Embiid made two free throws to cut the Raptors’ lead to 89-88. Then, after Leonard split his shots from the charity strip, Butler scored on a drive to tie the game at 90. Kawhi then hit one of the most iconic buzzer beaters in NBA history, one of the toughest shots ever, according to former Raptors assistant Phil Handly.

“Kawhi dribbled from the left slot all the way across. Listen, anybody who knows basketball and scouts will tell you: don’t let Kawhi get to his right hand. That man went to the furthest part of the court to get to his right hand and hit that fadeaway jumper in the corner,” Handy disclosed. “Here’s the thing: he had Ben Simmons chasing him and Embiid in front of him. It wasn’t like it was some small dudes.”

The ball bounced off the rim four times before finally going in.

The Raptors went on to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals and beat the Golden State Warriors in the Finals to claim their first-ever NBA championship.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Serge Ibaka admits he didn’t expect 76ers to push Raptors to Game 7 in 2019: “They only got two guys who really was lifting their team”

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