3 observations after Maxey and Springer impress, Sixers drop preseason opener

3 observations after Maxey and Springer impress, Sixers drop preseason opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Despite standout games from two young guards, the Sixers lost their first preseason contest Sunday night, falling to a 114-106 defeat to the Celtics.

Tyrese Maxey posted 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting, four rebounds, four assists and zero turnovers.

Jaden Springer had a very bright night off the bench, recording 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, five rebounds and two assists.

Payton Pritchard (26 points), Jaylen Brown (19 points) and Kristaps Porzingis (17 points) were the Celtics’ top scorers.

The Sixers were down James Harden, Joel Embiid, Furkan Korkmaz and De’Anthony Melton. Korkmaz has a leg strain and will be out for a few days, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters in Boston.

Harden, whose summer trade request has not yet been fulfilled, took part in four straight practices leading up to Sunday’s game. He worked out pregame at TD Garden.

Here are observations on the Sixers’ preseason opener:

Maxey at home in transition 

In his preseason Celtics debut, Porzingis immediately made a catch-and-shoot three-pointer over Paul Reed. Meanwhile, Reed misfired early on a long-range attempt from the left wing.

While Reed and the Sixers weren’t at all mistake-free in their opening stint, the team’s transition play was a plus. Just as he’d mentioned at the Sixers’ media day, Maxey made an off-ball defensive impact. As Jayson Tatum looked to operate against Patrick Beverley at the nail, Maxey swiped the ball away and then steamed ahead for an one-layup to cap a 7-0 run.

The Sixers’ transition defense was decent, too. Tobias Harris hustled back well on one Boston push forward to deflect a pass out of bounds. Harris was also attack-minded offensively in the open floor. After Danuel House Jr. grabbed a defensive rebound and tossed an outlet pass to Harris, the veteran forward got rolling downhill and drew a foul at the rim on Brown. It’s clear Harris is among the players Nurse wants to be aggressive whenever an opponent’s defense is not completely settled.

As the Sixers grow more comfortable with Nurse’s style, we imagine they’ll explore a greater variety of secondary transition options. For example, when PJ Tucker brought the ball up to the left wing and nothing was initially available, Reed set a smart flare screen for Maxey and Tucker found the 22-year-old open for his second made three.

Both on and off the ball, Maxey is capable of being a near-constant transition threat. He scored 13 of the Sixers’ first 17 points and nearly matched his 20-point first half from the Sixers’ preseason-opening victory last year. Maxey reached 22 with a smooth step-back three a little over a minute into the second half.

The bench wing trio 

House was the first wing to sub in off the Sixers’ bench. Kelly Oubre Jr. entered soon after.

Oubre’s first field-goal attempt was a shot most coaches wouldn’t love; he missed a pull-up mid-range jumper. He flashed some positive traits Sunday, though. The 27-year-old lefty drove to his right and slammed in a dunk on the Sixers’ final first-quarter possession. Early in the second period, he made a nice cut down the center of the floor on a Beverley drive and converted an and-one lay-in.

However, none of the Sixers’ bench wings delivered from beyond the arc. Oubre, a 33.0 percent career three-point shooter, went 0 for 3. House was 0 for 1, Danny Green 1 of 5.

In evaluating the Sixers’ bench players this preseason, Nurse will consider much more than shooting. The Sixers weren’t picky Sunday about who initiated their half-court offense; Oubre handled that duty on a few occasions. Some of the team’s best half-court looks involved off-ball screening and movement around a “big man” like Tucker or Reed in the middle of the floor.

Still, that sort of movement-centric offense — Chicago action; slipping screens; instinctive and unpredictable cutting — tends to work better when opponents believe players merit respect as both drivers and shooters.

Springer outstanding

Reed had a rough outing as a finisher, struggling to score around the rim in a 1-for-8 performance.

That said, Reed deserves credit for ripping the ball from Derrick White’s hands in the backcourt and kicking the ball out to Springer, who made a top-of-the-key three. The 21-year-old guard had a 2-for-2 evening from long distance, hitting a corner three early in the fourth quarter as well.

Springer’s improved shooting form (and corresponding results) have been encouraging. On Sunday, the third-year guard also contributed in many other ways. Springer’s strength, instincts for the ball and overall effort level impressed. The 6-foot-4 Springer’s four offensive rebounds led all players.

He played tight, competitive defense on Brown. Springer was aggressive and handsy without gambling too often, and his top highlight — rising high to block an attempted Tatum slam — sure wasn’t shabby.

“Just because he’s a guard doesn’t mean he can’t be a good basket protector — maybe not a rim protector,” Nurse said of Springer after Wednesday’s training camp practice. “Today we were working on him going over there, taking charges, or going up vertical and using the gifts he has to do some of that stuff.”

Springer played much of the fourth quarter alongside teammates that appear lower in the Sixers’ pecking order like Filip Petrušev, Javonte Smart, and rookie guards Terquavion Smith and Ricky Council IV.

The Sixers had a difficult time keeping up with Pritchard’s scoring flurry, but Smith showed a bit of the confidence and shotmaking skill he’d displayed in summer league. The NC State product followed up a long three with a steal and lefty transition layup.

Pritchard ultimately had the last word on the day he agreed to a four-year, $30 million contract extension, sinking a step-back jumper that stretched Boston’s lead to six points with 49.6 seconds left.

The Sixers will see him and the Celtics again for a Wednesday night matchup in Philadelphia.