The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 133-114 on Wednesday. The Sixers had a solid game, shooting 51.1 percent from the field, 43.3 percent on three-pointers, and 84.8 percent from the free throw line. Joel Embiid played his first preseason game of the year for the 76ers, scoring 22 points in just 15 minutes. The 76ers finish their preseason with a 3-1 record and begin preparing for the regular season opener against the Indiana Pacers on October 18.
D'Angelo Russell continues to impress
Despite the loss, D'Angelo Russell played an amazing game last night for the Brooklyn Nets.
He contributed 24 points, one rebound, three assists, and two steals in 24 minutes. Russell was 9-of-20 from the field, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-7 from the free throw line. Russell will be one of the main scoring options for the Nets and will look to overcome Magic Johnson's comments about him not being a leader.
Ben Simmons does a little bit of everything
Ben Simmons had a solid all-around game for the Philadelphia 76ers. He contributed nine points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in 25 minutes. He was 4-of-10 from the field and 1-of-2 from the free throw line. Simmons is looking really solid this preseason and continues to show the talent that led the 76ers to take him as the first overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Dario Saric also stepping up
With all the buzz around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, Daro Sakic took a bit of a backseat in the eyes of analysts and fans. Dario reminded everyone last night that he is part of the new "process" in Philadelphia. He contributed 26 points, nine rebounds, and three steals in 24 minutes. He shot 71.4 percent from the field, 62.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 100 percent from the free throw line against the Brooklyn Nets.
Joel Embiid impresses in just 15 minutes
This was the first preseason game for Joel Embiid and he looked amazing. He contributed 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one block in 15 minutes. He shot 44.4 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from the free throw line. If Embiid, Ben Simmons, and rookie guard Markelle Fultz remain healthy for the upcoming season, the 76ers have a chance to finally make it back to the NBA Playoffs.
The Philadelphia 76ers open the regular season schedule against the Indiana Pacers in what may amount to a must-win game for the franchise. The 76ers are pushing hard to be taken seriously again and starting out the season with a victory would be a great moment for the franchise.
