3 observations after McCain scores 20, younger Sixers lose by a landslide in preseason initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
Three down, three to go.
The Sixers hit the midway level of their preseason schedule Saturday night time with a 139-89 loss to the Celtics at TD Backyard, dropping to 1-2 in exhibition play.
Jared McCain was the Sixers’ prime producer, recording 20 factors on 9-for-21 capturing, three assists, three rebounds and three steals.
The Sixers will finish their three-game highway journey Monday by going through the Hawks in Atlanta. Listed below are observations on their blowout defeat in Boston:
Celtics with huge edge over youthful SixersÂ
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse had an inexpensive, conservative strategy on the second night time of a preseason back-to-back, giving most of his veteran gamers the sport off.
That meant Guerschon Yabusele began at heart in opposition to his former group and opened the night time subsequent to Jeff Dowtin Jr., McCain, Ricky Council IV and KJ Martin.
The matchup wasn’t near even. Celtics heart Luke Kornet racked up 11 factors within the first six minutes and Boston took a 40-18 lead on a Derrick White three-pointer simply earlier than the first-quarter buzzer. The Celtics had big benefits nearly all over the place you seemed — measurement, expertise, All-Star expertise. In underneath 16 minutes, Boston’s lead was 26 factors.
It didn’t assist that the Sixers missed a number of wide-open jumpers and started 0 for 9 from three-point vary as a group. Two-way contract participant Lester Quinones lastly broke the ice late within the first quarter.
McCain’s recreation contained in the arc Â
McCain snagged a powerful defensive rebound within the first quarter after which sprinted forward seeking a coast-to-coast layup. Jaylen Brown’s chase-down block try compelled him to overlook.
The 20-year-old shot simply 2 for 8 from the ground within the first interval, although each of his makes have been spectacular. He transformed a artful layup round Kornet and made a difficult left-handed scoop shot.
Particularly on a group with three All-Stars in Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid, McCain could very properly do a lot of his scoring behind the three-point line early in his NBA profession. Nonetheless, it seems value persevering with to work at discovering slivers of area on his drives and honing his recreation round 6 to 12 ft from the rim.
As a 6-foot-3 rookie, he’s determining the stability between being an attacking, inventive participant contained in the arc and adapting to the challenges of NBA measurement and athleticism. This preseason, he hasn’t been brief on self-belief; McCain went proper at an All-Defensive guard in White and scored an and-one layup on him. He narrowly missed an enormous dunk within the fourth quarter, too.
McCain assisted Yabusele on back-to-back threes within the second quarter. He’s proven an innate really feel for utilizing his physique within the pick-and-roll and hitting teammates in rhythm on pops and rolls.
The Duke product’s preseason three-point numbers dipped a bit with a 1-for-8 outing. By three exhibition video games, he is 7 for 20 from lengthy distance.
Nothing doing but for Martin past the arc Â
Martin’s athletic skills popped every time he had the prospect to go downhill.
He scored the Sixers’ first factors out of a pick-and-roll with Dowtin. Later, he slammed residence a fast-break lob from Council.
Martin performed 28 minutes and posted 9 factors on 4-for-7 capturing, 4 rebounds and two assists. He solely tried one three-point shot Saturday night time, lacking a first-quarter jumper from the correct nook.
If he may drain just a few threes earlier than the preseason ends, Martin’s case for rotation minutes would presumably enhance. Whereas the Sixers need everybody to play to their strengths, Nurse has spoken positively about Martin’s summer season work with a capturing coach. Any in-game success in the course of the preseason can be important.
