Toronto (13-22) snapped a two-game losing streak and has won nine of its last 12.
For the second straight night, the third quarter was the Sixers' undoing, although not as severe as the previous game. The Raptors outscored the Sixers, 29-21, in the period to take a 71-61 lead.
"We just couldn't get any stops in the third quarter," Sixers coach Doug Collins said.
Couple that with an inability to hit open jumpers all four quarters, and this is one frustrated team. The Sixers shot just 29 for 74 from the field (39.2 percent).
"When you don't see the ball go in it definitely deflates your energy," said Jrue Holiday, who along with Thaddeus Young shared team-high scoring honors with 16 points.
Collins said he gave Jason Richardson the night off so he could rest assorted injuries. Dorell Wright started in his place and scored seven points.
"I wanted to give him three days off," Collins said, alluding to the fact that the Sixers are off until they face Houston on Saturday.
The Sixers played poorly in the first half but trailed by only two. Forward-center Spencer Hawes saw that as a good sign.
"We felt we weren't playing well and were right there, and the third quarter was going to be when we would take off," said Hawes, who had six points and nine rebounds. "We didn't make enough buckets, plain and simple."
They actually didn't stop enough buckets either. Toronto shot 12 for 19 in the third quarter, while the Sixers were 8 for 18.
Amir Johnson and DeMar DeRozan each scored 19 to lead the winners, who played with the type of energy the Sixers must envy.
The Sixers got to within 73-67 with 6 minutes, 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter on Young's jump hook, but the Raptors answered with consecutive buckets by Johnson and DeRozan. With the way the Sixers are struggling on offense, that 10-point deficit was too much to overcome.
"We got to within six, and we just had nothing left, so it goes [from] six to 18 to finish the game," Collins said.
In Tuesday's 109-89 loss to visiting Brooklyn, the Sixers trailed by 48-47 at halftime, only to be outscored by 35-14 in the third quarter.
Either way, the struggles continue for the Sixers, who will play 12 of their next 13 games at the Wells Fargo Center.
Contact Marc Narducci at mnarducci@phillynews.com, or follow on Twitter @sjnard.
