5. Joel Embiid and Paul Reed will play together
Nick Nurse has been adamant about the fact that both Joel Embiid and Paul Reed will see minutes on the floor together in the regular season. Just how much time they will spend on the floor together is still to be seen. This is something for Sixers fans to keep an eye on. Had Doc Rivers insisted on Embiid and Reed playing together, many fans would’ve rolled their eyes in disgust. With Nurse at the helm, the hope is that his offensive and defensive schemes will allow for success in pairing these two bigs.
6. Pay attention to who earns the minutes off the bench in the early season
In the absence of James Harden, if the aforementioned starting lineup consisting of Maxey, Melton, Harris, Tucker, and Embiid, who are the first guys to come off the bench? Realistically, there are 8 players competing to play a significant role with the Sixers second unit. The newly acquired Patrick Beverley, Mo Bamba, Danny Green and Kelly Oubre Jr. join the likes of Furkan Korkmaz, Paul Reed, Jaden Springer, and Danuel House Jr. With a new coach, a new system, and some new faces, Sixers fans should pay close attention to who gets the most minutes off the bench in the early going.
7. Notes on the Sixers Week 1 Games
10/26 at Milwaukee
10/28 at Toronto
Nick Nurse wastes no time making his trip back into Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Raptors. This time, Coach Nurse will be leading the charge for the visiting team. Nurse spent the previous 5 years as Head Coach of the Raptors. Tip-off is set for 7:30 EST.
10/29 vs Portland
The backend of the first back-to-back of the season is also the Sixers home opener. On Sunday, the Portland Trailblazers will visit the Wells Fargo Center with tip-off set for 7:30 EST.
Grade the Trade: 76ers swap young guard for former first-round pick
A recent trade proposal from Bleacher Report has the 76ers trading one of their guards for a former 2022 first-round pick.