For fans in Philadelphia, the wait is finally over. The new-look 76ers will open the regular season against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. Sixers fans have been waiting for this moment since star forward LeBron James shocked the basketball world and signed with the Sixers in free agency in late July.
Since then, expectations for the Sixers have skyrocketed, and now we'll finally get to see how the team looks on the court in a game that matters. It's kind of like Christmas coming early for Sixers fans. That said, let's look at three things that should be on Philadelphia's wish list for opening night.
Early signs of chemistry
The most important thing that the 76ers could hope to see in their season opener against the New York Knicks is early signs of chemistry from their new-look starting five. Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and V.J. Edgecombe might be the league's best first five, on paper, but we'll have to see how that talent translates to the court.
Philadelphia's starters didn't play much together throughout the preseason, so the game against the Knicks will be the first chance that we'll get to see that group play extended, meaningful minutes together. Obviously, a win would be nice, but as long as that unit shows flashes of its lofty potential, 76ers fans should walk away from the opener with some serious optimism, outcome aside.
Meaningful bench contributions
Philadelphia's new-look starting five featuring James and Brown has, and will continue to, dominate most of the headlines when it comes to the Sixers. But if the team is going to live up to its lofty expectations, the bench unit will have to be a major factor. Five guys can't win an NBA championship alone, which is why championship teams tend to have a solid, reliable reserve corps. Bench depth has been an issue for Philly in recent years, but the Sixers look deeper this year.
Offseason additions to the bench include Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and rookie Labaron Philon Jr. Those guys will join a group that already includes Adem Bona, Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow, and Justin Edwards to form a formidable unit. It will likely take head coach Nick Nurse some time to figure out the best rotations, but if the Sixers get positive bench contributions in the season opener against New York, that would be a very solid sign.
A productive performance from LeBron James
All eyes will be on James for his first game in a 76ers uniform. Everyone knows how great and impactful James has been throughout his career, but at almost 42 years old, there are some questions about how much gas he has left in the tank.
A productive performance against the Knicks in the season opener would set the tone for the season and demonstrate that James can still impact the game at an extremely high level. Plus, it would just be super cool and exciting for Philadelphia fans if James turned back the clock a bit in his first game with the team.
A productive performance for James doesn't necessarily have to mean a ton of points. Instead, it could mean James doing a little bit of everything for his new team: rebounding, pushing the pace, setting his teammates up with easy looks, and if he sprinkles in a highlight dunk or two, too, that would be a nice bonus.
Add us as a preferred source on Google