Pros and Cons: Sixers vs. Pistons
Three normal things.
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He has been legally banned from covering the team in person, and when that ban was set to be lifted, Covid-19 struck. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
After weeks of controversy surrounding the Sixers, the moment we all were waiting for finally happened… the team finishing off its preseason slate with a game against the Pistons in Detroit. Let’s talk about what stood out tonight.
Pro: Tyrese Maxey scores at will early
Maxey scored 11 points on 5-6 shooting in the first quarter alone, dominating on that end with a flurry of drives and a jumper. The whole package was on display from Maxey -- from the crafty finishes through contact to the pull-up shooting and the rare speed and changes of pace he brings to the floor -- it was all working for the second-year guard early on.
Maxey struggled later on, but the first quarter alone was all I needed to see, as his offensive repertoire was very apparent.
Maxey may no longer be competing for a starting job now that Ben Simmons has reported to camp, but he still used the last game of the preseason to show off the skills he has that are game-changing when harnessed properly.
Maxey’s main competition for minutes, regardless of whether or not he’s starting, is likely Shake Milton. Milton largely struggled in preseason before suffering an ankle injury. It certainly appears as if Maxey is indeed en route to taking on an expanded role in 2021-22.
Con: Seth Curry struggles with the ball
Tonight was a prime opportunity for Seth Curry to build off of last year’s postseason and show some juice with the ball in his hands. Curry struggled to create for anyone, though, whether it be himself or teammates. He had a few bad turnovers as well.
Curry is without question a good player, but his limitations do exist. To me, though, this is more of a condemnation of the roster than it is of Curry himself. Without any true consistent perimeter creators available, Curry ends up being overtasked with ball-handling duties, when his ideal role is centered around spot-up shooting and attacking close-outs.
Pro: The deep reserves shine
This game seemed like it was headed towards being a blowout, but the Sixers’ deep bench reserves were excellent against the Pistons’ regulars. They were hounding the Pistons defensively, with athletes like Shaq Harrison and Aaron Henry flying all over the place. Paul Reed had some nice moments as well, and Charles Bassey was the biggest surprise of them all, coming up with some big plays down the stretch.