Philadelphia 76ers: Nik Stauskas Already A Fan Favorite

There’s something infectious about Nik Stauskas. Despite missing the season opener Wednesday against the Boston Celtics with back spasms, the second-year shooting guard was amped to play in the Philadelphia 76ers’ home opener Friday night. He wouldn’t let the ailment take away the moment.

Stauskas didn’t start Friday night, but entered the game minutes after the opening whistle. The packed crowd at the Wells Fargo Center rose and gave a standing ovation when No. 11 took off his warmup attire and exposed the blue jersey.

The 22-year-old didn’t light up the league last season, didn’t have the most efficient numbers and wasn’t a consistent factor. You wouldn’t have known that Friday night as the new Sixer looked like a superhero coming in to help the cause.

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On his first shot as a Sixer, Stauskas set up from behind the 3-point arc and drilled a triple. Matt Cord, the Sixers PA announcer, subsequently screamed “Sauce Castillo!” You could see this legend, albeit a small one, building throughout the city. Every time Stauskas touched the ball, fans had a heightened sense of interest to see what he would accomplish next.

Fans pelted the arena with “Sauce” cries when he had possession and groans when he passed it.

In the second half with the Sixers down 24, Stauskas, after receiving the ball via a Nerlens Noel block, methodically pushed the ball up the court and slung a no-look pass to Jerami Grant for the layup and finish. Just formulating consistent offense on the night was difficult for the Sixers.

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Stauskas was one of the lone playmakers Friday night for a team that could only muster 71 points. The starters shot just 11-for-43 from the field and received boos from the Philly faithful at times when the fiery Brett Brown called timeouts to regroup.

Per Sixers.com’s Brian Seltzer, Brown was cautious about playing Stauskas early in the season:

“You feel you want to play him. He’s on a minutes restriction. You want to play him more. You can see what he can do.”

Sauce Castillo finished with 12 points on 3-of-6 shooting and had three boards, but his ability to formulate offense was more apparent then his two assists. He was efficient in many facets on offense as he connected on 2-of-3 3-point attempts and was 4-of-5 from the line.

It was a promising start to a season that followed a tumultuous rookie campaign in Sacramento. You could make the assumption that if he had scored more than the 4.4 points he averaged or shot better than 36.5 percent from the field last season, he’d never be a topic in trade talk.

General Manager Sam Hinkie, for all the criticism he’s accumulated the past two seasons, made a low-key theft in July getting Nik Stauskas to Philadelphia without having to give up much to do so.

While the moniker “Sauce Castillo” provides Stauskas with an identity the passionate and casual fan can relate to, showing a glimpse of a possible bounce-back campaign is more beneficial for his young career.

The Sixers apparel outlets already have in stock Stauskas shirts with “Castillo” plastered on the back. Despite the little expectations regarding the team this season, it’s refreshing to see a notable NBA talent join the organization. Stauskas could be part of a youthful-laded core in the next few years.

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While Noel and Jahlil Okafor encompass the spotlight currently, more Stauskas performances like the one he put up in the Sixers opener could have fans clamoring for the Canadian to stay in the 215 area long term.