In the first game of the Utah summer league, the 76ers fell to the Boston Celtics 102-94 .
It was the first time fans got a glimpse at two of this year’s top-three draft picks, as Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons and Boston’s Jaylen Brown squared off. Joining Simmons and Brown were the two teams’ other draft picks, as well a slew of un-drafted rookies, and some players with prior NBA experience.
As far as rules go, the summer league is a tad different. Unlike the regular season, the Utah summer league implements four 10-minute quarters. Additionally, players are given 10 fouls, opposed to the NBA standard.
Lineup
Philadelphia’s starting five for the night was as followed:
McConnell and Holmes are already familiar playing with each other, as they were both members of last year’s Sixers team. Joining McConnell and Holmes was Christian Wood, who also saw time with the Sixers last year.
How it Went Down
The game was an exciting, back-and-forth affair, as neither team necessarily asserted dominance.
The Sixers got out to an early lead, but it dissipated quickly. Boston knocked down a barrage of three-point shots, which helped the Celtics catch up.
In the first half, the Sixers made a significant amount of damage by getting to the free-throw line. The team made 15 of 16 free-throws, including six from Ben Simmons, and five from Richaun Holmes.
Philadelphia entered the half trailing 46-45, after Boston shot 53.8 percent from three-point range. The close score at the half proved to be indicative of the remainder as the game, as it was a tightly contested game.
In the second half, the action picked up in terms of speed, as both teams seemed to be playing a quicker-paces offense. The fourth quarter saw a number of lead changes, as the two teams exchanged offensive blows down the stretch.
Boston was able to pull away late in the fourth quarter, preventing the Sixers from making shots when they needed to.
The Sixers wound up shooting 41.8 percent from the field. Five Sixers — Christian Wood, Ben Simmons, TLC, Richaun Holmes and James Webb III — finished with double-digit points.
The Debut of Ben Simmons
Playing in his first game since LSU, Simmons showcased why the Sixers made him the No. 1 overall pick.
His point-forward skills were on full display, as he made a plethora of impressive passes to teammates. When he was in the game, Simmons shared ball-handling duties with whoever was playing point guard.
The most interesting thing from Simmons’ night was his success from the free-throw line. Despite shooting a poor 67 percent at LSU, Simmons knocked down all of his first-half free throws.
Simmons looked comfortable in the offense, displaying good vision when distributing the rock. He had a few cross-court passes, which he slinged with velocity. Simmons flirted with a double-double, finishing with 10 points, five assists and eight rebounds.
Unfortunately, Simmons experienced cramps in both of his calves. He did walk to the locker room under his own power, but he failed to return.
Prior to Monday night’s game, Simmons spoke about what his thoughts were leading up to his first taste of NBA basketball.
“I’m ready to play,” Simmons said. “I’ve been waiting a while to just step onto the scene, the NBA, and the summer league’s the best possible way. Hopefully I can get adjusted, I haven’t played in a while, but I’m looking forward to getting the cobwebs off.”
Sixer of the Game
As one of the aforementioned Sixers from last year, Christian Wood had himself a very impressive night. “The Cross” led the team in scoring, totaling 20 points to go along with his five rebounds.
Wood didn’t have any overly flashy plays, but he was consistent at getting to the basket. He shot 7/9 from the field, and also knocked down one three.
Wood is looking to improve on his rookie year, in which the 6’11” tall big man appeared in 17 games.
Other Game Notes
Next Up
The Sixers won’t get a lot of time for rest, as the team is back in action Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs. That games tips off at 5 p.m.
