With the night off on Saturday, Philadelphia 76ers staffers could relax and tune into what was going on in Delaware with their NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
The minor league squad started the season off with a bang, dropping 147 points on the Capital City Go-Go (Washington Wizards), to move to 1-0 on the year. It was a stellar debut for multiple Blue Coats players. It was especially strong for multiple players who spent training camp with the 76ers.
One big "you made a mistake" game
Jameer Nelson Jr. doesn't need much of an introduction. Basketball fans already know the name, and Sixers fans can easily figure out that this is the son of the team's Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, who happens to be a former NBA player himself.
Nelson checked in for nearly 31 minutes on Saturday night and put up 20 shots from the field, with nine coming from beyond the arc. He made 14 of his field goals, four of them from deep. Nelson finished the game with a game-high 39 points. He also dished out four assists, came down with three rebounds, and snatched eight (!!!) steals on the defensive end. That's one busy night in the office for the guard.
As for Saint Thomas, he checked in as the Blue Coats' center on Saturday night. In 33 minutes, he led the way with 29 shots, making 17 of them. While he struggled from three, making just two of his eight attempts, Thomas still managed to tie Nelson's total with 39 points. It was a double-double outing for the 23-year-old, who collected 10 rebounds.
Considering Thomas showed his value as a center, he's someone the 76ers will be paying attention to, as their center depth could use work. However, it's necessary to note that the Sixers could use more prototypical options--rather than another small-ball option--which they have plenty of at this time.
It's just one game in G League land for Nelson and Thomas, but it's good for the Sixers to see that their developmental guys carry some sort of "you made a mistake" gene with them.
When the 76ers fired up training camp this year, Thomas and Nelson were among the group of players fighting for the final two-way spot. It seems that Tacko Fall won it by default. Not only did Fall fail to participate in most of camp and miss the entire preseason with an injury, but the veteran center Ariel Hukporti went down with an Achilles injury almost right away. The Sixers needed size for their center depth, and Fall's profile fit the part. Nelson and Thomas lost out to a lack of actual results.
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