By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)
Orlando 83, Philadelphia 77 – Box Score
Philadelphia 84, Oklahoma City 73 – Box Score
The Sixers split their first two games down in Orlando over the weekend, but these results are essentially meaningless unless you’re happy knowing there was at least one night in 2014 the team was better than the Thunder (I mean, Steven Adams was out there after all, so it counts). But really, these contests are all about the development of young players, fringe guys trying to make names for themselves and try to find a place in the league, and identifying the last couple spots on a team’s roster. Let’s take a look at what things stood out the most with two games in the books.
1) Nerlens Noel is the real deal – There was a lot to love from Noel in his Sixers debut on Saturday against the Magic. Donning the white and blue Sixers jersey that wasn’t too far removed from his Kentucky duds, the big man finished with 19 points and 4 steals in his only game this weekend (the team sat him out on Sunday as a precautionary measure). Most importantly, he showed no sign that the knee was bothering him coming off ACL surgery and looked like the type of elite athlete that will thrive in the league for a long time.
Noel got things going on the very first possession with a pump fake that sent former Sixer DeWayne Dedmon flying and a slam in the lane. He also showed off some solid ball-handling skills, getting out on the break on a couple occasions and racking up a few assists. The re-working of his shot paid some early dividends as he finished a perfect 7-7 from the foul line. It wasn’t all good for Noel, as he was pushed around a bit underneath to grab just 2 rebounds, and also committed 5 fouls and 5 turnovers. We’ll chalk those things up to it being his first competitive game in 18 months. It’s going to be some time before he works his way back into game shape but the early indications are that watching this kid develop will be one of the few bright spots for Sixers fans this season.
2) Tough blow for Pierre Jackson – A dynamite scorer in the D-league last season and clearly a guy Sixers management liked after trading for him on draft night, Pierre Jackson was the early favorite to seize the Sixers’ back-up point guard role. His pure scoring ability would be a nice complement to Michael Carter-Williams’ outside shot still being a work in progress, and MCW’s size would allow the two to play together for short stretches. Alas, things likely won’t be working out that way as, after scoring 7 points in as many minutes in the opening game, Jackson suffered a non-contact Achilles injury and had to be carried off the floor. You have to feel for the guy who had a real shot at carving out a place for himself in an NBA rotation but it doesn’t look like he’ll be a part of the Sixers plans this season.
3) Casper Ware seizes the opportunity – With Jackson removed from the equation, Casper Ware has emerged as the frontrunner to back up MCW when the fall rolls around. Ware scored 16 points against the Magic, and recorded 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists against the Thunder. He was also the only player effective from behind the arc for the Sixers, shooting 6-13 across the two games. However, Ware struggled mightily when Victor Oladipo was defending him in the Orlando contest and still turns the ball over too much to come across as a pure point guard. Against better competition, it doesn’t seem as though Ware does anything well enough to be able to thrive and I remain bearish about his long-term prospects.
4) Hollis Thompson looks out of place – I mean this in the best possible way. Thompson shot just 2-12, including 0-5 from three, in the lone game he played in on Saturday. However, he also grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out 5 assists, generally looking like a guy that was a level above the competition. You can always tell the 2nd or 3rd-year players taking part in these leagues who have progressed past this level of competition and Thompson seemed to fit the bill. We have enough of a sample size from last season to look past one poor shooting outing and I’m excited to see if Thompson continues to separate himself the rest of the week.
5) Roberts, Jr. makes a name for himself – The former St. Joe’s Hawk was arguably the most consistent player for the Sixers over the weekend, dropping 12 points and 9 rebounds in the first game and 12 and 6 in the second. Roberts, Jr. showed off his elite athleticism with a number of powerful finishes around the rim, including one that received the dunk of the night against Oklahoma City Sunday. Ron could certainly be a guy that comes off the bench and makes the hustle plays and second-chance points around the basket that don’t get a lot of attention but are still crucial to a team’s success. He also very much outplayed second-round pick Jerami Grant, who would be looking to fill that same type of role as an undersized power forward.
The Sixers will be back in action Tuesday. We’ll see if some of these trends continue and if anyone else really steps up in the last couple games before we turn our attention to Vegas.
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