3 takeaways from the Philadelphia 76ers’ preseason win over the Orlando Magic

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers head to China with a 2-0 preseason record following their win over the Orlando Magic.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic on a Monday night in early October doesn’t normally get people off their couch. This was the rare exception for a preseason game, as Markelle Fultz brought NBA Twitter to its boiling point with an unexpected shooting display.

The box score is rather pedestrian — Fultz scored 12 points on 5-12 shooting, netting four boards and an assist in the process. That isn’t overwhelming production. But digging below the stat line unveils the most important development to date in Fultz’s game: confidence.

After shooting just a few mid-range jumpers in the Sixers’ first preseason game, Fultz came out of the gates firing. He drilled a mid-range pull-up on his first attempt, confidently stepping into the shot.

Just a few possessions later, Fultz was gifted an open spot-up three from the corner. It was his first three-point attempt since last season, when he took just one in 14 regular season games. It clanked off the front rim, but the mechanics looked smooth.

A few plays later, when gifted another open look from the same corner, Fultz converted a Ben Simmons dime into points. Three points, to be exact. He hit his first NBA three-pointer, spotting up, in the flow of the offense.

Afterward, Fultz would go on to attempt two more threes and hit four mid-range jumpers in total. He looked for shots, got into a groove on offense and showed flashes of what made him the top pick.

Here are some takeaways from the game as a whole.