How the Philadelphia 76ers showed their genius in just 16 minutes
The Philadelphia 76ers finally took the floor last night in preseason action, dominating the New Zealans Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League by 55 points en route to their first dub. Joel Embiid and Paul George sat the game out, but the team nevertheless turned in a splendid performance to kickstart its campaign.
While the win certainly shocked no soul on earth, their showing was too good to simply toss it up to a clear talent advantage. All but two players scored, and everyone basically played hungry. Beyond the socreboard, though, the game provided a swift vindication for the 76ers on a particular move, one that was especially sensationalized before the season started.
The Philadelphia 76ers quickly proved why they made the perfect gamble in just 16 minutes
Four players scored 15 apiece to lead the 76ers in the scoring department against the Breakers, one of which was Guerschon Yabusele, a new face in Philly who managed to use his stellar performance in the Paris Olympics as a springboard for his return to the NBA.
Despite having to forego a significant amount of money to buy out his contract with Real Madrid in Europe, he went on to sign a minimum deal with Philadelphia, putting a hyphen on his once-shut NBA career.
In just 16 minutes of court time, Yabusele instantly made his case as a viable rotation player for the 76ers this season. He made all six of his field goal attempts, which includes a lone make from downtown. He also showed flashes of his quick decision-making that made him such a wanted commodity in Europe.
Heading into the season, there were some inhibitions about the burly Frenchman's ability to keep up with the modern trends in the NBA. While he didn't exactly show out against NBA-level competition (no offense to the Breakers), he showed a lot of poise as a roll man while also flashing his skills as a small-ball center.
Obviously, it would be absurd to count on him not to miss a shot, but should he remain a constant source of energy and toughness on the hardwood, the 76ers would quickly find him as a massive bargain. Consistency from three-point range will shoot that over the moon.
The Philadelphia 76ers brought the fireworks this summer thanks to their flashy signings, but early on, it seems like even the relatively minor addition of Guerschon Yabusele could be a big pendulum-swinger for the franchise's escapades this season.