The wait has concluded, and the new-look Sixers look as strong as imagined through the first preseason game.
They defeated the Knicks 120-97 without the services of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona and, oh yeah, LeBron James.
It was a good test for Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe, who showcased the ability to hold their own without a full rotation. It was even an impressive night for the end-of-rotation guys like Jabari Walker, Caleb Love, Saint Thomas and Dillon
Jones.
Call it a hangover or not, but the Sixers looked a step above the reigning champions.
The only negative of the night was an early injury to backup center Ariel Hukporti in the first quarter. Nick Nurse said postgame Hukporti would haveimagining done on his right Achilles on Tuesday.
Now to Bell Ringer.
Jaylen Brown: 22 points, 8-of-13 FG, 3-of-5 3PT, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block
The Jaylen Brown revenge tour is apparently not waiting until the regular season begins. He put up 22 points in 17 minutes against the Knicks and was effective from all over the floor.
While the Sixers were absent Embiid, Maxey and James for the preseason opener, Brown flashed his volume scoring. He came out the gates firing from midrange and the low post to establish a rhythm, and ended up accounting for nine of the first 13 Sixers points.
He got it going from three, including a straightaway pull-up jumper and fadeaway corner three in the second quarter. He had a block on Mohamed Diawara just following the fadeaway, showcasing his two-way ability early in his first Sixers campaign.
If anything, Brown’s performance displays the luxury Philadelphia has in scoring power. Three of the four main offensive engines were out, and they did not skip a beat against strong wing defenders on New York.
VJ Edgecombe: 12 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 4-of-5 FT
Edgecombe made his presence felt mostly in the paint, as his drives look as explosive as ever. He did not let a poor shooting night deter him from attacking the paint when given the oppurtunity, and was rewarded with a handful of free throws.
Edgecombe’s playmaking was on full display. He found Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for an easy look in transition and a beautiful dime to Dillon Jones late in the second quarter. Then, to finish the half, Edgecombe spun out of a double team on a drive, and found Caleb Love on the wing for the buzzer-beating triple before the break, giving the Sixers a 72-58 advantage.
Jabari Walker: 11 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Walker has made things interesting at the bottom of the rotation after his strong performance against New York. He was the best rebounder for the Sixers and was being a pest on the other end, doing the best he could against taller matchups like Karl Anthony-Towns or Diawara.
He finished 3-of-5 from three, joining Brown and Love as the only Sixers to make three from deep. He had a nice block on Pacôme Dadiet near the end of the first half. Walker took advantage of Dominick Barlow’s absence.
