Which Sixers Stood Out in Preseason Opener vs. Celtics?

The Sixers and the Celtics battled it out for their preseason opener on Sunday.

We’re not quite at the start of the 2023-2024 NBA season, but Sunday night offered an appetizer for the approaching run as the Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Boston Celtics for the first preseason matchup of the offseason.

The Sixers came back to the East after a four-day practice stint in Colorado. Looking to relocate temporarily before the preseason, the Sixers went to Fort Collins to begin their preparation for the first season under new head coach Nick Nurse.

Their first game was against the Celtics, roughly five months after their last meeting, which took place in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. As expected, both teams looked quite different. While the Celtics still have their star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown intact, they also had some key new players debut in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

The Celtics wanted a look at their core duo, while the Sixers took a slightly different approach. There was no Joel Embiid, as the reigning MVP got a rest. The disgruntled guard James Harden also got the night off despite participating in team activities over the last four days. De’Anthony Melton was also a healthy scratch, while Furkan Korkmaz missed the battle as he’s dealing with a minor injury.

Despite being shorthanded from the jump, the Sixers put up a good fight. Though the first three quarters, the 76ers trailed by just one point. Once Nick Nurse unloaded the bench, that’s when Boston’s young veterans took over and found separation late in the game. 

Boston put the Sixers away with a 114-106 win to begin the preseason. Despite a loss on Sunday, the Sixers had a few solid performances worth highlighting.

76ers guard Tyrese Maxey going up for a layup against the Celtics / USA Today

Tyrese Maxey

If there was any doubt about Tyrese Maxey’s continuous development heading into year four, his performance in the first preseason game assured everybody that the young guard’s still got it.

Right out of the gate, Maxey was firing on all cylinders. In the first quarter, he checked in for a little under 11 minutes. During that time, he put up four shots from the field, missing just two of them. Maxey, to no surprise, was not gun-shy from beyond the arc, drilling half of his attempts in ten minutes to begin the game.

By the end of the first half, Maxey had a game-high of 19 points in 19 minutes. He scored over 30 percent of the Sixers’ first-half points as they trailed by just two points.

Maxey continued to get some added run in during the second half, checking in for nearly ten minutes. He wasn’t nearly as efficient from the field, missing all but two of his six shots, but Maxey’s overall performance was outstanding.

He finished the game by draining 53 percent of his field goals, producing 24 points for the Sixers before he got the rest of the night off.

76ers guard Jaden Springer during the 2022-2023 NBA season.  / USA Today

Jaden Springer

The third-year guard is among a handful of Sixers veterans who have a lot to prove during this preseason run. As Springer has just 18 games under his belt through two seasons, he’s focused on trying to win a spot in Philadelphia’s rotation.

Springer is off to a good start. After spending the first quarter on the bench, Springer checked in for a little over six minutes in the second quarter. Although he hesitated with his first three-point attempt, Springer knocked the shot down, which undoubtedly unlocked his confidence.

The springy guard was all over the place, making aggressive plays for boards and remaining efficient on offense during his limited time in the first half. He wrapped up the second quarter with seven points, making both of his shots from the field and going 2-2 from the free throw line.

When the Sixers came out for the second half, Springer got the nod to start in place of the veteran forward, PJ Tucker, who got the rest of the night off. He didn’t let down Nick Nurse for that decision.

You can check off Sunday’s performance as a success for Springer. He did a little bit of everything in his role and showed confidence in his game. He wrapped up the game with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. 

Patrick Beverley wearing his new Sixers uniform.  / USA Today

Patrick Beverley

The preseason isn’t normally for seasoned vets to shine, but it was hard to overlook what Patrick Beverley brought to the table for Philadelphia in his Sixers debut. 

After getting ten minutes in the first half and four minutes in the second half, Beverley had a stamp on the game. The veteran was efficient from the field, knocking down five of his seven shots. He drained all but one of his three-point attempts.

Beverley was a plus-15 on the court, scoring 12 points. He likely won’t get the nod to start for the Sixers this season, but his performance is a good reminder that he could bring a lot of value and energy off the bench for the team this season.