On Friday night, we couldn’t watch most of the first quarter because of technical difficulties on NBA League Pass. On Saturday, the technical difficulties would’ve been preferable.
The Sixers, resting the top eight players of their rotation, got shellacked by a Celtics team that played the majority of its regulars, 139-89.
There’s really no point in recapping much of this one. Let’s get to Bell Ringer.
Jared McCain: 20 points (9-of-21, 1-of-8 from three), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Man, there was not much to glean from this one, but McCain stood out as a guy that looked like he belonged out there.
The tough shooting night from three makes his stat line look rough, but McCain looked good in just about every other facet. More of his drives are starting to end with buckets. This one against the 7-foot-1 Luke Kornet was impressive
Boston had its starting backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White playing. They make up arguably the best defensive guard duo in the NBA. McCain didn’t shy away one bit. This drive and and-1 finish against White is as good as it gets.
The Celtics’ star wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown hunted the 6-foot-3 McCain on switches. Both All-Stars got theirs, but McCain stuck his nose in there. He had a sequence early in the game where he fought Brown for a rebound and wound up securing it. He also stripped Tatum on a drive.
Of all the things to like about McCain so far, his fearlessness might be at the top.
Guerschon Yabusele: 8 points (2-of-4 from three), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, one block
A cool full-circle moment for Yabusele who got the start against the team that drafted him back in 2016. It’s looking more and more like the French forward will be Nick Nurse’s third-string/small-ball center.
There’s really nothing flashy about Yabusele’s game. He just knows how to play. He knows where to be on the floor and he knows what to do with the ball in his hands.
It sure seems like he’ll be the ninth man in Nurse’s rotation — especially if he keeps shooting as well as he has. He was 2-of-4 from three Saturday after going 1-of-3 Friday and 1-of-1 Monday. While he won’t shoot 50% when the regular season starts, it’s good to see him confidently step into these threes and make a few.
Much like Kelly Oubre, Jr. last season, Yabusele could be a late offseason signing that plays a big role.
KJ Martin: 9 points (4-of-7, 0-of-1 from three), 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Frankly, Martin was the only other player that didn’t look out of place. Towards the end of last season, it seemed like Nurse got a better sense of how to use Martin. One thing the high-flying forward did so well in Houston was roll to the rim and finish.
This play with Jeff Dowtin was one of the few highlights for the Sixers on the night.
Martin reworked his shot in the offseason and it does look smoother, but the three he took Saturday — which he missed — was his first attempt of the preseason. As of now, Martin appears to have the edge over Ricky Council IV as the team’s 10th’s man. It’ll be interesting to see how Nurse handles his rotation to start the season.
