Philadelphia 76ers Dominate Reigning Champion Knicks in Preseason Opener

The Philadelphia 76ers had their first preseason game, and while we didn’t get to see all the starters, the ones we saw exceeded all expectations. 

Most of the starters sat out for this game besides Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe, and from the looks of things, they weren’t needed.

The first half saw a clinic put on by Brown as he showed exactly why the team gave up a couple of draft picks and Paul George for him. Brown came out firing and finished the first half with 22 points and went 3-for-5 from the three-point line. He also added a couple of assists and rebounds to cap off his night. 

Edgecombe started for the 76ers as well, and he looked to be in great shape as well. In 20 minutes, Edgecombe scored 12 points and had seven assists. That’s a very promising sign for the second-year player. The first half was a very interesting back and forth between the two divisional opponents, and then the 76ers turned on the burners.

In the second quarter, the 76ers outscored the Knicks 39-26. Philadelphia showed some of that defensive prowess throughout the game, and it helped to propel them to a 72-58 lead at the half. An area that may have been worrisome to fans turned out to be a very strong point of emphasis with how they defended the Knicks. In the second half Brown and Edgecombe were finished for the night, so it was time to see what the rest of the bench could do. 

Caleb Love gave the fans something to cheer about, as he was active on both sides of the floor. Love shot 4-10 from the field with 15 points and 3-6 from the three.  It seems the second half saw plenty of sloppy basketball as the unit tried to find some consistency playing together. Love, Jameer Nelson Jr and Saint Thomas were the most notable players out there. 

Nelson Jr. set out to prove he’s deserving of a contract, and he made a nice impression. He only finished with seven points, but he did all the little things you want to see. He had two blocks, a couple of rebounds, and his intensity created second-chance opportunities. Thomas and Jabari Walker finished with  double-doubles as well. 

The 76ers blew out the Knicks 120-97.  Six players finished in double figures, and it was a tremendous showing from the entire team. 

This was just one preseason game, but it’s nice to see just a glimpse of how this team will look when it’s at full strength.