The Philadelphia 76ers are ready for the real thing.
At first glance, the Philadelphia 76ers’ 1-2 record in their Orlando scrimmages is a red flag. For a team in desperate need of momentum, starting the renewed season on a losing foot is less than ideal. When you move past the record, however, it’s not difficult to feel optimistic.
The Sixers essentially won all three games when the starters were on the floor. It was neck-and-neck in the Dallas game, partly due to Philadelphia’s horrid shooting performance, but even a molasses-like start couldn’t keep the Sixers from taking a lead in the third quarter. In the Memphis and OKC games, it was never close.
You should never take away definitive conclusions from a few scrimmages, but it’s even more important to ignore the final score. The Sixers getting trounced with Marial Shayok on the floor has little bearing on how the Sixers will perform when the lights are bright and the lineups are concrete.
And so, the Sixers fandom should proceed with a great deal of excitement. Philadelphia’s first real game is August 1, only a few precious days away. It’s a game of great significance as well. The Sixers will play the Pacers for a head start on the No. 5 seed.
Here are the players who stood out most in the scrimmages who, ideally, will carry the momentum forward into regular season play.