RECAP: Furkan Korkmaz drops 40-piece in Sixers’ SL debut
By Trey Fox
The Philadelphia 76ers were unable to get the job done despite a huge night from Furkan Korkmaz
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics provided fans with an entertaining match-up tonight in the NBA Summer League. Unfortunately, the heroic effort of Furkan Korkmaz wasn’t enough to edge the Sixers to victory.
The Sixers played solid defense in spurts, but did not sustain that effort consistently enough throughout the game. The Celtics shot 48.6 percent overall from the field, and there wasn’t enough resistance from the Sixers on that side of the ball.
Semi Ojeleye played a significant role in the first half, scoring at will in the paint and displaying his improved ball handling skills and even connected on a couple of three-pointers.
Korkmaz was incredible tonight, and you couldn’t help but believe that every shot he attempted was going in. He scorched the Celtics from opening tip and ended up with 40 points on the night! Korkmaz scored 16 of the Sixers’ first 26 points and had 19 at the half with four three-pointers.
<span style=. G-F. Philadelphia 76ers. FURKAN KORKMAZ. A+
26 mins | 11 pts | 8 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 0 TO | 5-11 FG | 1-4 3PT| 0-0 FT | 2 PF | -14|<p><strong>Summary: </strong>Isaiah Miles made solid contributions on offense, boasting good footwork and mobility. He also did a nice job rebounding ball. However, his defense was sort of underwhelming and he didn’t have much of an impact down the stretch. He also failed to get to the free throw line in tonight’s game. Overall, he had a solid game and was a definitely a bright spot.</p>. PF. Philadelphia 76ers. ISAIAH MILES. B
B+. 12 mins | 6 pts | 0 reb | 1 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 2-5 FG | 2-5 3PT| 0-0 FT | 1 PF | -3|<p><strong>Summary: </strong>Landry Shamet made a solid impact on the game prior to experiencing an ankle injury that forced him to miss the second half. He showed a lot of poise and was able to find his spots on the floor. He connected on two three-pointers and displayed an excellent shooting touch. He fits in well in the pace-and-space model that the Sixers employ on offense. He also gave effort on the defensive end. Hopefully his injury is minor.</p>. G. Philadelphia 76ers. LANDRY SHAMET
PG. Philadelphia 76ers. ZHAIRE SMITH. C. 29 mins | 7 pts | 2 reb | 2 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 3-7 FG | 0-1 3PT| 1-2 FT | 1 PF | -21|<p><strong>Summary: </strong>Zhaire Smith had a lackluster performance in tonight’s loss. He wasn’t nearly assertive enough on offense. He rarely looked for his shot, and he got to the line just once in 29 minutes of action. However, he did show flashes when he was engaged and made a couple of nice moves to the basket while also displaying a nice touch on a mid-range jumper. He was excellent on defense per usual, causing problems for opposing perimeter players. Overall, I expected more from him in his debut. Look for Smith to be more aggressive in the Sixers’ next game.</p>
C. 23 mins | 6 pts | 6 reb | 0 ast | 1 stl | 1 blk | 3 TO | 2-6 FG | 0-2 3PT| 2-6 FT | 1 PF | +4|<p><strong>Summary: </strong>Jonah Bolden put forth an average performance. He needs to add bulk to his frame to enable him to have an impact on offense. His moves to the basket weren’t strong, and his defenders at times were able to push him away from the basket prior to the catch. Bolden’s face-up game was unimpressive to say the least. Although the league is becoming more perimeter-oriented, it is still crucial for a big man to be competent in the post. But, he certainly made an impact on defense, using his length and quickness to cover a ton of ground. His ability to switch and contest shooters on the perimeter was impressive as well.</p>. PF. Philadelphia 76ers. JONAH BOLDEN
The Sixers had solid contributions from several players, but their inability to get crucial stops came back to bite them in the fourth quarter.
Guerschon Yabusele erupted in the second half and played a pivotal role in lifting the Celtics past the Sixers in crunch time. He showed off his versatility getting to the basket at-will and touch from the outside by connecting on a clutch three-pointer to seal the game. He’s reminiscent of a young Boris Diaw
Next: How might the Sixers trim down their roster?
There were a lot of great takeaways despite the Sixer’s loss, mainly the incredible night that Korkmaz had. That cannot be overstated. Ben Simmons has a lot to look forward to this season.