The Philadelphia 76ers’ power forward depth remains questionable heading into the 2025-26 season. However, Philadelphia's preseason matchup against the New York Knicks offered some clarity.
Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker, and Johni Broome had respectable showings in Philadelphia's (0-2) 112-104 loss to New York (2-0) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi Saturday afternoon. The trio must build on this as the 76ers return home to face the Orlando Magic (1-0) on October 10th at 7 p.m. EST.
Bball Barlow
Barlow received his second start at power forward of the preseason and for good reason. He posted six points on 2-6 shooting from the field and two rebounds. However, the box score doesn't fully measure his impact.
Barlow was most effective as a help-side defender. He consistently knew where to rotate and his length disrupted New York’s offense process at the rim. Barlow also shot 1-3 from beyond the arc, which will not wow fans, but he showed glimpses of spot-up shooting.
Philadelphia would be in trouble if Barlow remained a starter in the regular season. But, he has shown enough flashes to leave fans intrigued with his development heading into the new year.
Walking on a dream
Many were intrig by the 76ers’ addition of Walker because of the front-court spacing he would provide. Instead, the 23-year-old showcased another skill that not all knew he had.
Walker found success by attacking closeouts off the catch. His reputation as a shooter encouraged defenders to guard him tightly, which allowed Walker to drive to the basket. He even lured a help defender to create an easy basket for Andre Drummond.
Walker finished with 10 points on 3-5 shooting from the field, two rebounds, two assists, and two stocks (steals and blocks).
Get out the Broome
While Johni Broome mainly played backup five, he’s still considered a forward/center. The Auburn product produced six points on 3-3 shooting from the field, four rebounds, and one block.
Broome said during Media Day on September 26th that he guarded Joel Embiid during an unofficial practice and the experience seemed to pay off. Broome took on the task of defending Karl-Anthony Towns and held his own.
Towns finished with six points on 1-4 shooting from the field. While Broome wasn't responsible for all of Towns’ struggles, he certainly played a role. Broome had solid positioning while defending Towns off the point-of-attack.
It remains to be seen whether Broome will primarily play at power forward or center. Regardless, he and the others continue to boost their stock within the inconsequential context of the preseason.