The Philadelphia 76ers opened their preseason with a 120-97 win over the defending champion New York Knicks on Monday night. It was a big debut for Jaylen Brown, who scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting in his first game with the Sixers, all before sitting out the second half. VJ Edgecombe also looked good, finishing with 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds in just 20 minutes.
Caleb Love added 15 points and six assists off the bench, while LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey all sat out. It's only preseason, so the result doesn't count, but it was a strong start for this new-look Philly squad. After the game, Brown had high praise for his new teammate Edgecombe.
"I love VJ already; he's one of my favorite people in the world, and we just met. VJ is going to be great, and I'm excited to help him continue to thrive, but his talent level is off the charts," Brown said. "I think we kind of see the game similarly.
Like we try to get the spots that we want to get to, and we have some similar viewpoints. So even when we're talking to each other, we're like on the same page." More news: Knicks Make Stance Clear on Karl-Anthony Towns’ $276 Million Extension The 76ers had the biggest offseason of any team in the NBA. They first traded Paul George and two future first-round picks to Boston for Brown, then pulled off the shock of the summer by signing James to a two-year deal worth nearly $8 million.
That gives them a starting five of James, Brown, Edgecombe, Maxey and Embiid, easily one of the best in the league. Philly's title odds have jumped since, and the Sixers have become one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference, alongside the Knicks. More news: Damian Lillard Fires Back at Doubters With Strong Ja Morant Message More news: Anthony Davis Gives Honest Take on Wizards No. 1 Overall Pick AJ Dybantsa The biggest thing standing between them and a title will be health.
Embiid has dealt with injuries throughout his career, James is 41, and the full array of new talent hasn't taken the court together yet. But a 23-point win over the reigning champs without three of your best players, even in preseason, is a great start. The 76ers will next face the Nets before their final two preseason games against the Celtics.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
