Anthony Gilbert for NJ Advance Media
The Sixers started the 2018 pre-season against defending NBL champion Melbourne United with a 104-84 victory. Melbourne was led by former Sixers goalkeeper Casper Ware, who had 19 points and 5 assists.
Joel Embiid scored the Sixers offense with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks, while Ben Simmons was steady with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 14 assists. However, Markelle Fultz stole the show with 14 points, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in a starting role.
The Sixers have never been led against the outclassed Australian team.
Melbourne United v Philadelphia 76ers
Mitchell Leff
Offense
The offense begins and ends with head guard Ben Simmons. He is the catalyst to move the ball and send it to the right people at the right time. Every day, we talk about his jump shot or the absence of a consistent shot. Still, the truth is that Simmons is a facilitator who does not need to make a lot of effort to make an impact on the game.
When he comes out of the dribble, it is very difficult to keep. He abandons the eyes on the basket at a distance of 15 to 17 feet taking even better shots from 5 to 0 feet from the goal thanks to his ability to handle the ball.
Simmons is the quarterback and he prepares the table for everyone. It worked well last season and it only improved over the next 2018-19 campaign, which should begin next month.
Melbourne United v Philadelphia 76ers
Winslow Townson
Markelle Fultz: report card
Fultz was aggressive from the start because he was looking to score in the offense and he was also prescene in defense. When the starters were announced, he received great applause from the crowd and he seemed very relaxed and comfortable throughout the contest.
The Sixers did not move significantly during the off-season and this is partly because they knew the public was unaware of anything, namely Fultz's readiness and his cohesion with the starting unit.
For her overall level of play and comfort, Markelle Fultz receives an A-. The more he plays, the better he will become the missing piece that the Sixers desperately need to break through the Eastern Conference.
Head coach Brett Brown was very confident in Fultz and said, "Where do I start?" The defense does not come to my mind, he stayed in his defensive position, was involved in many shots. We all saw his presents in open court tonight, heading to the free throw line and seemed to belong to that place, getting up behind the pick-and-roll before sinking in. His relationship with Joel was also excellent. "
Melbourne United v Philadelphia 76ers
Lori M. Nichols | For NJ.com
Joel Embiid: Bully ball
Embiid scored the majority of his points under basketball or dropping free throws (5-in-8). His new love for the post is a breath of fresh air, with Melbourne United having no answer for him. Embiid dominated from the start and with 20 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes, he seemed close to form in the regular season.
"It was the first game." Embiid said: "Collectively, we made a lot of mistakes, we returned the ball.I personally, I have a lot of work, but it was the first game I'm just starting to work. I suppose we can certainly do better for the next games. "