76ers Have 3 Reasons for Optimism After Statement Win Over Knicks

The Philadelphia 76ers open the season 1-0 after spoiling the New York Knicks championship banner reveal. This was a back-and-forth game that saw a 76er team do everything they could to win. There were some very positive takeaways from this game, even if it was only one game. 

1. Tyrese Maxey is the heart of this offense.

Maxey was the best player on the floor on opening night. He scored 28 points and added five assists. When Maxey had the ball, the offense moved rather fluidly. While the rest of the starters contributed, no one was as effective as Maxey. He scored the first six points for the team with two threes. Maxey didn’t remain on the perimeter as he scored in every way possible. He cut to the basket and even created for others because of his effective scoring. This could be the way this team works their offense, as it led to the first of many victories.

2. LeBron James stayed true to his word.

When James joined the 76ers, he made a point to say he doesn’t want to be the guy who scores but more of the facilitator. He proved that by doing everything else needed for the team. He had 7 assists and nine rebounds. When the team needed him to, he scored when he chipped in with 12 points. At this point in James’ career, he’s not looking to score 20 points a night. So the best way to contribute is filling up the stat sheet. This could bode well for the 76ers, who will need this kind of play. This may lead to James averaging nearly a triple-double if he can maintain this effort.

3. Anfernee Simons is the key to the bench unit.

The bench struggled in this game, and it almost cost the 76ers their first game. It wasn’t until Simons came in that the team started to get a lift from the bench. Simons was a question mark going into the game, as he was dealing with a hamstring injury, and it was a good thing he was able to go. Simons scored nine points in the third quarter that helped the 76ers reclaim their first lead since the first quarter. He led the bench with 13 points, and the team needed every single point he could provide. If Simons can build off this, he could do what he said and be a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.

There’s plenty to clean up for Philadelphia, but they got their first win out of the way, and now they can learn from this game to improve their strengths and hide their weaknesses.