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3 observations after the Sixers defeated the NZ Breakers in their first preseason game originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Within a couple of minutes, there was no doubt that the 2024-25 Sixers would begin their preseason with an extremely decisive victory.
The team opened its six-game preseason Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center with a 139-84 victory over the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League.
Tyrese Maxey was among the Sixers’ many efficient players, recording 15 points in the first quarter on 5-of-7 shooting (4-of-5 from three-point range) and three assists.
Neither Joel Embiid nor Paul George played as they prepare for the games that count. Both stars were on the court Monday morning after the Sixers’ shootaround.
Head coach Nick Nurse was satisfied after a night in which 19 Sixers played and 17 scored.
“I was glad I came out and got after them defensively,” Nurse said. “We’re trying to develop those things: ball pressure, deflections, creating turnovers. We’re working on a certain rhythm this year a lot more than in the past: forward shots and getting the ball up the court. We made some of that nice (good). And then just get everyone out and going.
“There are a lot of things that we saw in training camp that you are never sure what you are seeing when you play against yourself. And then you come out and a lot of that was confirmed tonight, which is good. Good start to building the foundations of things.”
The Sixers’ second exhibition game will be Friday night against the Timberwolves in Des Moines, Iowa. Here are observations on their blowout win against the Breakers:
Drummond letting them fly
Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond joined the Sixers’ starting lineup. True to form, Drummond was especially interesting to watch.
He scored the first basket of the game, finishing inside a forward pass from Maxey. Gordon became the Sixers’ fifth starter on the board when he hit a three-pointer after an offensive board by Drummond. The vast talent disparity between the teams was immediately evident; a three-pointer by Maxey increased the Sixers’ lead to 13-1.
Drummond then joined in the three-point fun, hitting a jumper from the left corner.
The last time Drummond made three in the regular season was on February 24, 2020. It seems highly unlikely that he will develop into a serious shooting threat, but he has clearly been working on his jumper and is willing to shoot in the games when open. -open. He tried another one later in the first quarter and missed.
Andre Drummond shoots 3-pointers in the corners, Sixers wrap up shootaround ahead of their first preseason game tonight against the New Zealand Breakers: pic.twitter.com/gwhsCPvlYf
– Noah Levick (@NoahLevick) October 7, 2024
Drummond played the first seven minutes of the night and change, scoring five points and five rebounds in his first period. On a less positive note, he was called for two early fouls. Drummond likes to sniff around and look for forced turnovers, which is a trait Nurse will likely tolerate more than the average head coach.
Maxey and McCain’s shots
Maxey’s outing was exactly what one would expect from the only All-Star on the court.
He played the entire first period and was fast, crafty and impossible for the Breakers to stop. The fifth-year guard struck a good balance between aggressive shooting and also spreading the ball around to his teammates.
Jared McCain also scored 4 three-pointers on 9 long-distance attempts.
In the second quarter, the rookie guard hit a step-back 3-pointer and then hit two catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in a row. For a young player With the aim of impressing and learning the professional game.It’s a good confidence builder to see jump shots fall.
“Since summer league, I’ve just been working on those catch-and-shoot shots,” McCain said. “Once the first one fell, it was a relief. From then on, it was just muscle memory. “I know what I’m doing out there.”
McCain’s performance was generally mixed. He was 1 of 5 inside the arc and was beaten several times off the dribble on defense. In a team-high 28 minutes, the 20-year-old had 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
He called the night “the best feeling of my life” and compared the experience to a video game.
“I feel like I’m in (NBA) 2K,” McCain said with a smile. “This is amazing. There is no way to describe it. “I’ve played 2K, I’ve watched basketball games since I was a kid, and putting on that jersey tonight, I didn’t feel like doing it.”
Pay attention to the rotation image.
Although the nurse on media day described Guerschon Yabusele as “not even a three and…not really a five”, The 28-year-old Frenchman played as a center back behind Drummond. He is obviously a backup option for the big man.
Appearing in the NBA for the first time since 2019Yabusele scored 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting and two assists.
“It feels special just walking into the arena,” he said Monday morning of his return to the NBA. “It’s been fantastic so far. “I’m just enjoying it, trying to have as much fun as I can and learning to get better.”
Yabusele will presumably play most of his minutes at power forward on full-strength nights for the Sixers. Regardless, he looks like a player who should be able to find points simply by running down the court and planting himself in the paint whenever he has a juicy crossover game. He should also have some success as a tough player off his screens.
Rookie Adem Bona He was the Sixers’ third center against the Breakers, playing in youth lineups with teammates such as McCain, Justin Edwards and Lester Quinones.
Other notable rotation elements:
Kyle Lowry shared the court with Maxey for the final five minutes of the first quarter. The veteran tallied five assists in his 10 first-half minutes.
KJ Martin played behind Caleb Martin as a backup power forward and contributed six points, three rebounds and two steals. Nurse commented before the game that the Sixers have seen substantial improvement from the 23-year-old Martin as a shooter since last season. He didn’t hit a 3-pointer on Monday, but we’ll soon see if that progress translates into games.
Ricky Council IV showed off his explosive athleticism to the tune of 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting and six rebounds. A highlight is always possible when you’re charging furiously across the open field.
Like KJ Martin, Council hopes to earn time in the rotation early in the season through strong preseason work.