GT #1: Sixers @ Wizards 7 PM (ESPN/1500 AM)

[Kanyewest]

"YOu know, this might be the best team in the eastern conference... Philadelphia," Van Gundy says right as we sink a basket to go up 10. I'm so sick of the national announcers bias against us.

I'd have to double check, but I believe he said the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, there is no way he said that. I think Van Gundy said that that Philly is a playoff team and he liked what he saw from both teams.

[WallToWall]

This is a hard one to figure out. Even though we won the game, I dont think it should have even been close, much less have the 76ers leading late in the game. We played really bad D. I cant chalk it up to first game jitters, etc, as we were playing against a young squad, and should have schooled them. So here are some observations:
1. 3pt defense needs improvement.
2. we are missing a true PF, as a starter and on the bench.
3. despite the stat line, (3/3, 6pts, 4rbs, 4 fouls), Mahinmi is not the answer for a 1st off the bench center.
4. Frazier may be the answer to our backup PG question, but without adequate backups at other positions who can score, there will be few assists from him.
5. Oubre cant yet figure out where to be on D.

[CobraCommander]

Awful Wall and Beal beat healthy talented Sixers! YEAH WE WILL TAKE IT!

No they most certainly did not. Big games from Gortat & Oubre beat them.

Unless you think shooting a combined 16-45, including 1-7 on 3s, helped us win.

The bench shot shot 50% including 5-11 on threes! The other 3 starters also shot 50%.

Are we assuming Embiid will be healthy? He is one of the best players in the league. Team will be a dumpster fire without him. Inevitably, without him.

So you just missed Ben and Fultz? Well everyone watching the game through different Arabian Go....well never mind.

[Meliorus]

No they most certainly did not. Big games from Gortat & Oubre beat them.

Unless you think shooting a combined 16-45, including 1-7 on 3s, helped us win.

The bench shot shot 50% including 5-11 on threes! The other 3 starters also shot 50%.

Are we assuming Embiid will be healthy? He is one of the best players in the league. Team will be a dumpster fire without him. Inevitably, without him.

So you just missed Ben and Fultz? Well everyone watching the game through different Arabian Go....well never mind.

Simmons and Convington are good, but having two good players isn't going to make you a playoff team. Fultz, are you kidding me? He's gonna be a net negative player for a minimum of 2 years if not longer.

[CobraCommander]

Are we assuming Embiid will be healthy? He is one of the best players in the league. Team will be a dumpster fire without him. Inevitably, without him.

So you just missed Ben and Fultz? Well everyone watching the game through different Arabian Go....well never mind.

Simmons and Convington are good, but having two good players isn't going to make you a playoff team. Fultz, are you kidding me? He's gonna be a net negative player for a minimum of 2 years if not longer.

I’m gonna just say i think the sixers gonna be aight...we need to sure up that bench or we will be wasting time on the treadmill of mediocrity

[Meliorus]

So you just missed Ben and Fultz? Well everyone watching the game through different Arabian Go....well never mind.

Simmons and Convington are good, but having two good players isn't going to make you a playoff team. Fultz, are you kidding me? He's gonna be a net negative player for a minimum of 2 years if not longer.

I’m gonna just say i think the sixers gonna be aight...we need to sure up that bench or we will be wasting time on the treadmill of mediocrity

A lot of the bench blame lands on Frazier. This is like the 10th time we've gotten the "backup we've been waiting for". There were a ton of people on here who thought he was the answer, I never thought so. Dude had garbage RPM for a reason.

Kinda weird how we play Satoransky so much in the preseason and he can't even get single minute now.

[benb331]

Frazier reminds me of Antonio Daniels. Except with less talent.

Satoransky should play over him if he continues to play like he did tonight.

Looks and moves like him... but Daniels did all the little things well. Passes were always on time, got to the rim, drew fouls, savvy defender.

The comparison is waaay off. Frazier does not have ADK's.

[CobraCommander]

Simmons and Convington are good, but having two good players isn't going to make you a playoff team. Fultz, are you kidding me? He's gonna be a net negative player for a minimum of 2 years if not longer.

I’m gonna just say i think the sixers gonna be aight...we need to sure up that bench or we will be wasting time on the treadmill of mediocrity

A lot of the bench blame lands on Frazier. This is like the 10th time we've gotten the "backup we've been waiting for". There were a ton of people on here who thought he was the answer, I never thought so. Dude had garbage RPM for a reason.

Kinda weird how we play Satoransky so much in the preseason and he can't even get single minute now.

Agreed - its like Sato played himself out of rotation...but we didnt see it happen.

[nate33]

100%

On the defensive end, sure but Frazier is actually getting his teammates the ball in position to shoot. Not his fault that they are not making it.

Frazier is indeed better than Burke -- but he needs to be paired with a guy who can create his own shot w/ the shotclock winding down.
Meeks is indeed better than Thornton -- but he *also* needs to be paired with a guy who can create his own shot w/ the shotclock winding down.

Only Grunfeld can conclude that we can operate a second unit without a single guy who can create his own shot. What did he expect would happen? That the second unit will just score based on sheer execution of their (relatively basic) sets? With no threat of penetration, the defenders just stay home on the shooters.

Morris should help with this. If Brooks staggers lineup so that Morris get some run with the reserve unit and serves as their bailout offensive option, it might work out.

[zero2hero]

1st game of the season, so not gonna nitpick too many things. I'd like to see us draw more plays towards the rim when our offense stagnates/miss jumpshots - more down screens with Beal/Porter. This was a problem last year too, especially in the Celtics series, where it seemed like most of the plays where we had our guys going downhill was either PNR or dribble hand-off. Beal can definitely use his physicality to make a play and/or draw a foul down there. We ran some with Meeks on the second unit that I thought either got a good look or a foul. Second unit still looks shaky but I'm willing to give them more time to prove their worth. Hopefully this is the Oubre we're going to be getting for the rest of the season: an absolute menace on defense and an opportunist on offense.

[montestewart]

"YOu know, this might be the best team in the eastern conference... Philadelphia," Van Gundy says right as we sink a basket to go up 10. I'm so sick of the national announcers bias against us.

I'd have to double check, but I believe he said the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, there is no way he said that. I think Van Gundy said that that Philly is a playoff team and he liked what he saw from both teams.

I wasn't really keying in, but that sounds right. In various comments, he seemed to be emphasizing that the Sixers probably do better than squeaking in as an 8th seed. Whether he was dissing Wizards, I don't recall this particular one, but he might have just been trying to emphasize that a competitive game between these two teams at this point shouldn't be a surprise. I don't think many of us were too surprised.

[barelyawake]

"YOu know, this might be the best team in the eastern conference... Philadelphia," Van Gundy says right as we sink a basket to go up 10. I'm so sick of the national announcers bias against us.

I'd have to double check, but I believe he said the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, there is no way he said that. I think Van Gundy said that that Philly is a playoff team and he liked what he saw from both teams.

I rewound it and listened twice. That's exactly what he said.

[deneem4]

Wall is playing exactly how I play with him in 2k

[NatP4]

I'd have to double check, but I believe he said the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, there is no way he said that. I think Van Gundy said that that Philly is a playoff team and he liked what he saw from both teams.

I rewound it and listened twice. That's exactly what he said.

yep, word for word what he said. I agree with him

[deneem4]

We will go 82 -0 if wall is dunking this much...really good to see

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Could use a four-man. I know Simmons is playing the four but he's really a 2-3. They can get away with that now playing a guy like Jason Smith or Otto, who disappeared in the 2nd half and is undersized. Redick is also a one-year guy and Bayless is not the long-term answer. Not solid on Saric either.

The hope is to grab a wing w/ a max contract next year. Bayless is going to be replaced by Fultz. Something like Fultz/FA/Cov/Simmons/Embiid. There is a chance TLC or Korkmaz could develop into that open sg/sf but I'm not holding my breath.

I corrected myself. Simmons can play the 4 at his size in this league. So basically I think you need one player and a bench player but you'll get that next season.

Richaun Holmes.

They already have a loaded roster.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using RealGM mobile app

[NatP4]

still don't know why Satoranksy isn't playing over Frazier. outplayed him in the preseason. They have now traded a 2nd for Burke and played him over Satoransky, picked up Jennings off of waivers and played him over Sato, and now added Frazier and played him over Sato. He only has one year left on his contract. What exactly has Frazier done that gives him a leg up from day one? what type of player development is this from Brooks? I'm not sure that Frazier does anything at all better than Satoransky, and he's much worse defensively.

the backup point guard spot is hugely important in having a good bench. Brooks made some key mistakes last year: played 5 man bench units against other teams starters, played lesser PGs over Satoranksy, and was very reluctant to abandon the traditional two big look whenever the rest of the NBA has evolved to small ball. He did all of these things in the first game tonight. Does Oubre even have a big night if Smith and Morris aren't hurt? not a chance. Like i said, both of those injuries were a blessing in disguise for the development of Oubre, because Brooks hasn't shown much player development ability. #FREESATO

[CobraCommander]

still don't know why Satoranksy isn't playing over Frazier. outplayed him in the preseason. They have now traded a 2nd for Burke and played him over Satoransky, picked up Jennings off of waivers and played him over Sato, and now added Frazier and played him over Sato. He only has one year left on his contract. What exactly has Frazier done that gives him a leg up from day one? what type of player development is this from Brooks? I'm not sure that Frazier does anything at all better than Satoransky, and he's much worse defensively.

the backup point guard spot is hugely important in having a good bench. Brooks made some key mistakes last year: played 5 man bench units against other teams starters, played lesser PGs over Satoranksy, and was very reluctant to abandon the traditional two big look whenever the rest of the NBA has evolved to small ball. He did all of these things in the first game tonight. Does Oubre even have a big night if Smith and Morris aren't hurt? not a chance. Like i said, both of those injuries were a blessing in disguise for the development of Oubre, because Brooks hasn't shown much player development ability. #FREESATO

we wearing that FreeSato Shirt at the next game...while sitting behind the bench.

Real talk- Sato must have some major flaws in his game that Brooks is sees in practice that we are not seeing in the game. I do see issues with his ball handling and decision making but HE CANT GET BETTER WATCHING FRAZIER-

[dangermouse]

Things I didn't like:
1. 3pt defense.
2. 2nd unit - didn't look much better than last year.
3. Couldn't finish much around the rim, a lot of wild shots but Sixers played some good D.
4. Beal and Wall took a few too many long-twos.
5. Brooks went away from Jason Smith at PF pretty quick (or did he get injured? I lost track), the small ball lineup got a lot of run and worked.
6. Mahinmi is just 7 feet of awful. Albatross contract. Its like when New York signed Jerome James to a fat deal after he had one good year and never did anything again.

Things I like:
1. Otto freakn Porter and his activity.
2. Wall had a well, not a great game. Particularly shooting the ball... but still absolutely dominated.
3. Gortat looked good. And not just the hair. Rebounding well and made Amir look like a little babby when Embiid sat.
4. Ben Simmons absolutely looks like the real deal. Sixers will be better than us very soon. Why do I like it? Good for the game, its about time.
5. Oubre had a pretty nice outing.
6. John Wall buried Luau-Carrot.

Things I want to punch in the face:
1. Jeff Van Gundy
2. Jeff Van Gundy
3. Jeff Van Gundy
4. Jeff Van Gundy
5. Jeff Van Gundy
6. Jeff Van Gundy


Final thoughts: Satoransky at backup PG/SG. Why not? The defense of the second unit it a lot better when hes out there with Oubre.

[Bernie]

2. 2nd unit - didn't look much better than last year.

Really? I thought they looked much better than guys like Burke, Thornton, Bogdanovich, Jennings or even Nicholson.