Kawhi Leonard's huge night leads Raptors past 76ers in Game 1

The Philadelphia 76ers have big problems on their hands.

Their names are Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors.

Leonard scored a playoff career-high 45 points, including 27 in the first half, and Siakam scored 29 points, including 22 in the first half, as Toronto defeated Philadelphia 108-95 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Saturday.

Game 2 is Monday in Toronto (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

The impressive performances from Leonard and Siakam obscured another story line that has taken on a life of its own in Toronto’s playoff history: the Raptors actually won a Game 1 at home. Headed into this game, Toronto was 2-14 in Game 1s, including a loss to Orlando in the first round this season.

Game 1 woes were not an issue against Philadelphia. The Raptors were a model of efficiency, and for a stretch of the first quarter, they couldn’t miss, making 13 consecutive shots for an early 33-17 lead.

Leonard and Siakam spearheaded that efficiency, handling much of Toronto’s offense in the first half. At one point, they combined for 34 of Toronto’s first 39 points, with both starting 7-for-9 from the field.

They scored inside and outside, in transition and in half-court sets.

Playoff Kawhi was brilliant. He was 16-for-23 from the field, including 3-for-7 on 3-pointers, and was also a menace on defense with 11 defensive rebounds, two steals and one block.

Siakam, who is the favorite to win this season’s Most Improved Player award, was 12-for-15 from the field, and the Raptors shot 51.9% from the field.

But it was just one game, and a playoff series is about adjustments. Philadelphia guarded Leonard with multiple defenders, but Sixers coach Brett Brown will look for other ways to limit Leonard’s effectiveness.

Philadelphia’s offense needs improvement, too. Toronto neutralized Sixers center Joel Embiid, who had 16 points and eight rebounds but was 5-for-18 from the field and just 3-for-10 at the rim. He was not his dominant self, and Toronto’s Marc Gasol deserves credit for that.

And as superb as Leonard and Siakam were, Toronto coach Nick Nurse can’t count on those performances game to game. They were the only Raptors in double figures in points.

Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.