Player grades: Tobias Harris, Sixers knock off Nets in preseason matchup
NEW YORK–The preseason continued for the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday when they paid a visit to the Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers entered the game short-handed as they were already without Joel Embiid, James Harden, Danuel House Jr., and Furkan Korkmaz.
The Sixers then lost PJ Tucker shortly before tipoff due to right ankle soreness and then lost Tyrese Maxey in the first half due to back spasms. In the end, the Sixers walked away with a 127-119 preseason win over the Nets as Tobias Harris had 18 points and nine rebounds, but the result was secondary in this one.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 21 points for Philadelphia, De’Anthony Melton had 15 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists, Paul Reed added 18, and Maxey had eight points and three assists before leaving. Jaden Springer had 11 points and five rebounds, Danny Green added six, and Patrick Beverley had six points and four rebounds.
Here are the player grades from the win:
Tyrese Maxey: A-
The young guard was engaged defensively. He had a swipe in the opening quarter which led to easy buckets the other way and he had a few nice pocket passes which is an area in which he has been focusing on in terms of his playmaking. He continues to be a blur getting to the rim as his speed has been a big reason for his success. He missed all three of his triples before leaving with the back issues.
De'Anthony Melton: A
Drawing the start in this one, Melton was stuffing the stat sheet. He was able to get some easy buckets on offense, he was bothering the Nets out on the perimeter defensively, and he was setting guys up for easy buckets. He also was aggressive on the glass as he had a few hustle plays that led to buckets for Philadelphia. His play in this one is exactly what coach Nick Nurse is looking for from his guards when the season begins.
Tobias Harris: A
Harris was more aggressive in terms of attacking the basket than he was in the first two preseason games. When he is able to find creases and get to the cup, then that’s when he’s at his best because it means he’s making quick decisions. That’s one area that former coach Doc Rivers wanted from Harris every game and it’s something he should keep in mind now under Nurse. He was terrific with his scoring and his rebounding in this one as Brooklyn didn’t have a real answer for him.
Kelly Oubre Jr.: A
Moving into the starting lineup for the injured Tucker, Oubre Jr. was not afraid to shoot the rock. He took nine shots in the opening quarter. He wasn’t as efficient from deep as he was in the previous preseason game, but his confidence has never wavered and that’s something that the Sixers will take off their bench: a guy who will put the ball in the basket. He was also really committing to defense in this one really moving his feet, being active on that end of the floor, and really making sure Philadelphia got stops.
Paul Reed: B-
The 3-point shot continues to be a struggle for Reed, but he did a really good job in this one of finishing around the basket. He was shifty in the paint which led to easy points. It was a nice night for him on offense and he was really smart with his shot selection for the most part. However, he had a tough time defending Nets big man Nic Claxton which led to four fouls in the first half. He did a better job in the second half of not fouling and having his hands back.
Jaden Springer: A-
The third-year guard out of Tennessee picked up two tough fouls to start his night on the defensive end, but he had a nice tip dunk off an Oubre Jr. miss and he was able to mix it up inside on the glass. He also had a few really impressive possessions on defense which caused the Nets to turn the ball over. Then on offense, he made a few nice athletic plays to get easy points. This was another overall nice night for him in this preseason.
Danny Green: A-
The veteran had a nondescript first half. He missed the one triple he took, but he had some nice moments on defense as he was able to help force some Nets turnovers. He was much better after halftime when he knocked down a couple of triples to keep Brooklyn at bay when the Nets cut into the lead.
Patrick Beverley: B
The night for the veteran started off with a wing triple, but he then picked up two fouls and then a technical foul. He did knock down another triple while also setting up his teammates for easy baskets. It was an overall nice night for the veteran in terms of his production. He did get ejected after picking up a second technical foul for jawing at Ben Simmons a bit.
Filip Petrusev: B-
The rookie was the first big man off the bench in this one rather than Mo Bamba. Nurse wanted to see what he has in the 2021 second-rounder and Petrusev had a few good moments, but he had a tough time really getting into position for rebounds and he got into foul trouble as well. In order for him to make an impact in this league, he will have to get a bit stronger to battle in the paint. Overall, the effort was there and he showed off his range by knocking down a 3-pointer. He also got into with Simmons after he a hard foul. Both players were hit with double techs.
Terquavion Smith/Javonte Smart
With the Nets still hanging around late in the fourth quarter, both Smith and Smart made a timely triple to keep Brooklyn at bay. The Sixers have to like what Smith has brought to the table through the first three preseason games. He has been able to really find a groove and be able to contribute on the floor.
