3 Sixers Preseason Opener Thoughts
The Jaden Springer Game?
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
The Sixers opened their 2023-24 preseason Sunday night, back at the TD Garden for a matchup with the Boston Celtics. The Sixers did not play Joel Embiid, James Harden, De’Anthony Melton or Furkan Korkmaz. While the results of preseason games don’t matter much, you can always glean some noteworthy developments from what you see. Here’s what caught my eye:
Tyrese Maxey unleashed
New Sixers head coach Nick Nurse has spoken at length over the course of the offseason about wanting Maxey to become an even more aggressive scorer, particularly as the team is in limbo with Harden’s trade request.
Maxey continued his career-long dominance of preseason basketball, using both his shot-making ability and dynamic athletic tools to carve up Boston’s defense as a scorer. He looked exactly as aggressive as Nurse claimed he should be, which is no easy feat. Maxey continues to show tremendous growth as a scorer thanks to his blazing speed and terrific skill level.
The part that comes next for Maxey, though, is improving his playmaking for others. This is especially true if Harden doesn’t play for the Sixers, as Maxey will then become a full-blown point guard once again.
Paul Reed turns the clock back
Reed turned himself into the Sixers’ permanent backup center last year by cutting down on his fouls defensively and improving his touch around the rim offensively. Both were massive developments. But they did not show themselves in the preseason opener.
Reed was consistently in foul trouble during this one and repeatedly struggled to finish around the rim.Â
Tonight’s showing is not worthy of great concern on Reed’s behalf, the defense is something to keep an eye on moving forward: Reed’s discipline defensively is key, but he is now playing for a coach in Nurse who is much more aggressive defensively than Doc Rivers was.
Jaden Springer has his moment
Springer has spent a long two years waiting for a chance to crack the Sixers’ rotation, with this year being his first real chance to earn regular minutes. He definitely took a step in the right direction during his action in Boston.
Springer was as active, pesky and effective on defense -- as advertised -- and showed offensive growth as well, knocking down a spot-up three from above the break on his first shot attempt, finishing a few buckets inside and making a crisp pass or two.
After doing all of the little things in the first half, Springer did some big things in the final 24 minutes of the game, including a monster block on a Jayson Tatum dunk attempt, a thunderous slam of his own and an and-one off an offensive rebound.
Springer is just about on the bubble of the rotation, and you could argue no Sixer’s preseason means more to them than his does. If Springer pans out, he could become a fantastic defensive-oriented role player for a team that needs to continue introducing young, affordable talent into its lineup.