3 observations after Sixers blow out NZ Breakers of their preseason opener initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
Inside a few minutes, there was little question the 2024-25 Sixers would start their preseason with a particularly decisive victory.
The crew opened its six-game preseason Monday night time at Wells Fargo Middle by coasting to a 139-84 win over the Nationwide Basketball League’s New Zealand Breakers.
Tyrese Maxey was among the many Sixers’ many environment friendly gamers, recording 15 first-quarter factors on 5-for-7 capturing (4 for five from three-point vary) and three assists.
Neither Joel Embiid nor Paul George performed as they ramp up for the video games that rely. Each stars had been on the ground Monday morning following the Sixers’ shootaround.
Head coach Nick Nurse was happy after an evening wherein 19 Sixers performed and 17 scored.
“I used to be simply completely satisfied we acquired on the market and acquired after them defensively,” Nurse mentioned. “We’re attempting to construct these issues — ball stress, deflections, creating turnovers. We’re engaged on some tempo this yr much more than we’ve prior to now — throw-aheads and getting the ball up the ground. We did a few of that fairly (properly). After which simply get everyone on the market and going.
“There’s a whole lot of stuff we noticed in coaching camp that you simply’re by no means fairly positive what you’re taking a look at once you’re enjoying in opposition to your self. And then you definitely go on the market and a whole lot of it acquired confirmed tonight, which is nice. Good begin for constructing the muse of issues.”
The Sixers’ second exhibition recreation will probably be Friday night time vs. the Timberwolves in Des Moines, Iowa. Listed below are observations on their blowout win in opposition to the Breakers:
Drummond letting ‘em fly
Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond slid into the Sixers’ beginning lineup. True to type, Drummond was particularly attention-grabbing to look at.
He scored the sport’s first hoop, ending inside off a Maxey hit-ahead feed. Gordon grew to become the fifth Sixers starter on the board when he drained a three-pointer after a Drummond offensive board. The massive expertise disparity between the groups was instantly obvious; a Maxey triple grew the Sixers’ result in 13-1.
Drummond then acquired in on the three-point enjoyable, drilling a catch-and-shoot jumper from the left nook.
The final time Drummond made a regular-season three was Feb. 24, 2020. It appears fairly unbelievable that he’ll remodel right into a critical capturing menace, however he’s clearly been engaged on his jumper and is keen to fireside in video games when left wide-open. He tried one other one later within the first quarter and missed it.
Andre Drummond firing nook 3s, Sixers wrapping up shootaround forward of their preseason opener tonight vs. the New Zealand Breakers: pic.twitter.com/gwhsCPvlYf
— Noah Levick (@NoahLevick) October 7, 2024
Drummond performed the night time’s first seven minutes and alter, posting 5 factors and 5 rebounds in his opening stint. On a much less optimistic observe, he was referred to as for 2 early fouls. Drummond likes to poke round and seek for compelled turnovers, which is a trait Nurse will possible tolerate greater than the typical head coach.
Maxey and McCain’s shotmaking
Maxey’s outing was precisely what you’d anticipate from the one All-Star on the ground.
He performed the whole first interval and was speedy, shifty and inconceivable for the Breakers to cease. The fifth-year guard struck an excellent stability between aggressive shotmaking and spreading the ball round to his teammates, too.
Jared McCain additionally knocked down 4 three-pointers on 9 long-distance makes an attempt.
Within the second quarter, the rookie guard hit a step-back three and later canned two catch-and-shoot triples in a row. For a younger participant aiming to each impress and study the skilled recreation, it’s a pleasant confidence-builder to see jumpers drop.
“Since summer time league, I’ve simply labored on these catch-and-shoot pictures,” McCain mentioned. “As soon as the primary one went down, it was a aid. From then on, it was simply muscle reminiscence. I do know what I’m doing on the market.”
McCain’s exhibiting was a blended bag total. He was 1 for five contained in the arc and acquired overwhelmed a number of instances off the dribble defensively. In a team-high 28 minutes, the 20-year-old had 15 factors, seven rebounds and three assists.
He referred to as the night time “the most effective feeling of my life” and in contrast the expertise to a online game.
“I really feel like I’m in (NBA) 2K,” McCain mentioned with a smile. “That is wonderful. There’s no solution to describe it. I’ve performed 2K, I’ve watched basketball video games since I used to be a child, and to placed on that jersey tonight, there was no feeling prefer it.”
Eye on the rotation image
Although Nurse on media day described Guerschon Yabusele as “not a 3 and … not likely a 5,” the 28-year-old Frenchman performed at heart behind Drummond. He’s evidently a backup large man possibility.
Showing within the NBA for the primary time since 2019, Yabusele had 15 factors on 6-for-6 capturing and two assists.
“It feels particular, simply to come back into the sector,” he mentioned Monday morning of his NBA return. “It’s been nice to this point. I’m simply having fun with it, attempting to have as a lot enjoyable as I can and studying to get higher.”
Yabusele will presumably play most of his minutes at energy ahead on full-strength nights for the Sixers. Regardless, he seems like a participant who ought to have the ability to discover factors merely by working the ground and planting himself within the paint at any time when he’s acquired a juicy cross-match. He ought to have some success as a tough curler off his screens as properly.
Rookie Adem Bona was the Sixers’ third-string heart in opposition to the Breakers, enjoying in youthful lineups with teammates like McCain, Justin Edwards and Lester Quinones.
Different rotation gadgets of observe:
Kyle Lowry shared the ground with Maxey for the ultimate 5 or so minutes of the primary quarter. The veteran notched 5 assists in his 10 first-half minutes.
KJ Martin performed behind Caleb Martin as a backup energy ahead and chipped in six factors, three rebounds and two steals. Nurse commented pregame that the Sixers have seen substantial enchancment from the 23-year-old Martin as a shooter since final season. He didn’t take any three-pointers Monday, however we’ll quickly see whether or not that progress interprets to video games.
Ricky Council IV confirmed off his explosive athleticism to the tune of 13 factors on 5-for-5 capturing and 6 rebounds. A spotlight’s all the time potential when he’s storming ahead within the open ground.
Like KJ Martin, Council will hope to earn early-season rotation time by robust preseason work.
