BOSTON -- The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the TD Garden on Saturday night to continue the preseason, and they did it with a number of players on the sidelines. While Anfernee Simons, Adem Bona, and Dominick Barlow are still nursing injuries, they were joined by Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Therefore, the Sixers had a tough night and fell to the Celtics 144-106 and trailed by as many as 45. VJ Edgecombe led the Philadelphia starters with 19 points, four assists, and four steals, while former Sixers star Paul George had 13 points, five rebounds, and five steals for the Celtics.
Tyrese Maxey had eight points and four assists, Labaron Philon Jr. added 14 points, Jabari Walker had 14 points and five
rebounds, and Dean Wade had five and three boards.
Here are the player grades following the loss:
Tyrese Maxey: C
It was a tough shooting night for Maxey as he had a tough time really finding that rhythm, but he was able to pull down some tough rebounds and make plays with his passing. That’s one of Maxey’s better qualities as he is somebody who will always find a way to positively contribute even when the shot isn’t falling. All in all, it’s the preseason. The only thing that matters is getting some reps in and staying healthy. The real games will begin soon.
VJ Edgecombe: B-plus
The second-year guard just loves playing in Boston. Edgecombe got off to a fast start with an aggressive move on the baseline for a reverse layup and then knocked down a corner 3 over a heavy contest. He also had two steals in the early going, which keyed some early opportunities in transition. In the half-court, he put his head down and forced the issue against these Celtics defenders and finished some tough buckets in the paint.
Justin Edwards: D
It was a tough showing for Edwards as he was unable to really find any real opportunities on the offensive end. There were some bad turnovers, he air-balled an open 3-point attempt, and just looked a little off. He got going in garbage time, but that isn't good enough. The Sixers need him to show more in order for him to earn some real minutes during the season. There isn’t a real path to a rotation spot for him at the moment.
Dean Wade: B
Quite a few Sixers have already spoken on how important Wade will be for this offense, and he showed it early in this one. His first bucket was simply him moving without the basketball and finding an open spot within the defense for a dunk. He then knocked down a spot-up 3 with Maxey pushing in transition. He is going to do a lot of the little things for Philadelphia when the season begins.
Jabari Walker: B-minus
If there’s one person who has boosted his stock in the preseason, it’s Walker. Getting the start with Embiid sidelined, Walker snatched down some big rebounds, did a terrific job defensively, and he found ways to be effective all over the floor. The only criticisms of him in this one are the foul issues, but he played well overall.
Labaron Philon Jr.: B
The rookie hopped off the bench and immediately knocked down a 3-pointer. When he is able to step into his shot, that makes him such a dangerous offensive player. He is already explosive getting to the basket, but if he becomes a consistent 3-point shooter? That makes all the difference in his game. He knocked down tough shots all night and was able to have success. A solid night for Philon in this one.
Rayan Rupert: B
The big man had a tough initial run out there. Rupert picked up three fouls, couldn’t find a rhythm on the offensive end, and committed a turnover. After that, he turned in a solid effort. He knocked down an open 3, and had success on the defensive end of the floor. One has to wonder if he did enough to earn a look with all of the injuries at the moment.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Short-handed 76ers fall to Celtics in preseason matchup
