Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics: July 4, 7 p.m. (eastern)
How to Watch: Comcast Sports Network, NBA TV
The historic rivalry between the 76ers and the Celtics will be re-visited, as Philadelphia tips off its Summer League play against Boston.
Full Roster
The two Atlantic Division foes will clash at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Utah. It will be the first of three games for each squad, as each team will also play the Spurs and the Jazz.
Coincidentally enough, the Sixers tipped off their regular season last year against Boston in a losing effort. Despite only being the summer league, the Sixers would certainly like to gain some revenge after failing to record a victory against Boston last year.
Philadelphia has a plethora of new faces, and it will certainly be interesting to see the Sixers back in action for the first time since April.
New Faces and Returning Names
A year after Jahlil Okafor made his regular-season debut against the Celtics, former LSU forward Ben Simmons will play his first game against the same team.
The level of excitement surrounding Simmons is understandable, as added hype is expected to follow a top draft pick.
Simmons’ “point-forward” skills will be on display in his first taste of professional basketball. Since he’s the first No. 1 pick the Sixers have had since Allen Iverson, the hype surrounding him is expected.
Simmons isn’t the only new member of the 76ers eager to hit the ground running. French-native Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, whom the Sixers selected with the 24th overall pick, figures to provide some of his signature energy during the team’s Summer League contests.
Unlike Simmons, TLC has professional experience, as he was a member of KK Mega Vizura for the past two years. It was overseas where “The French Touch” Luwawu honed his skills, developing an exciting offensive repertoire, featuring an elite leaping ability.
Both rookies signed their rookie deals with the team earlier in the week.
Joining the Sixers’ top draft picks are Bryon Allen (guard), Javon McCrea (power forward/center), Alex Caruso (guard), Maodo Lo (guard), James Webb III (forward), James Nunnally (forward), Kwame Vaughn (guard), Levi Randolph (guard), Shawn Long (forward) and Tomasz Gielo (forward).
Every player listed above is an un-drafted rookie, except for Nunnally, who appeared in 13 games during the 2013-14 season.
While the new faces are sure to garner a majority of the attention, there’s a few faces that Sixers fans will surely recognize. After an impressive rookie year, T.J. McConnell is once again a member of Philadelphia’s Summer League team. McConnell earned significant playing time by displaying tenacity and desire, and his efforts netted him some All-Rookie Team attention.
Additionally, big man Richaun Holmes is once again a member of the summer league. Holmes looks to build on his pleasantly surprising rookie season, in which he shot above 50 percent from the field. Holmes shocked some people last year, as he was able to craft a role for himself in the rotation.
Rounding out the group of returning Sixers is Christian Wood. Wood, the 6’11” tall big man from UNLV, appeared in 17 games for the Sixers last year.
Key Matchup to Watch
A mere minutes after the Sixers made LSU forward Ben Simmons the top pick in the draft, the Boston Celtics selected Cal’s Jaylen Brown. As one would expect, Simmons and Brown will be lumped together for the foreseeable future.
Boston and Philadelphia fans are likely eager to see what Simmons and Brown have to offer.
Although it’s unclear exactly how frequently Simmons and Brown will be guarding each other, there’s no question both rookies will see each other over the course of the game. Both players are immensely talented, and watching them square off will be a compelling storyline to follow.
When two players who were both selected in the top-three of the draft square off, it’s axiomatically intriguing to watch. While both players are highly touted rookies, the spotlight is far from foreign to them. Simmons was the centerpiece for the LSU Tigers a year ago, and Brown was an integral part of the Golden Bears’ team.
In a sense, the Simmons-Brown matchup is significant in the same vein the Jahlil Okafor-Kristaps Porzingis matchup was in last year’s summer league play. Last year’s summer league game was an exciting contest, so it will definitely be worth keeping an eye on the Simmons vs. Brown matchup.
Additionally, it will certainly be interesting to see the rest of each team’s draft picks in action for the first time.
Quote of the Day Rookie Ben Simmons after practice
“It’s amazing,” Simmons said, when asked what it feels like to get started. “It feels so good to be part of a team, and just being on the court. It’s the first time I’ve played since my final game at LSU. So I’m a little rusty, a few turnovers, but it’s all part of it.”
