The Philadelphia 76ers might have dropped their season opener Wednesday night to the Boston Celtics, but there’s a lot of intrigue this season surrounding the team, players and management. In their 112-95 loss Wednesday, rookie center Jahlil Okafor emphatically made his presence known with 26 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Nerlens Noel and Isaiah Canaan also had a promising debut as Noel put up 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting and corralled 12 boards. The incumbent starter, Canaan didn’t squander the opportunity to start and finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Just watching the players on the television, you can make judgments and provide analysis. Someone that covers the team professionally has a better gauge on the team’s tendencies and style.
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I was fortunate enough have The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Marc Narducci, who covers the Sixers and does a weekly show called “Sixers Insiders”, answer a few questions about what to expect from the team this season. You can follow Marc on Twitter at @sjnard.
Jake Hyman: What kind of impact will Jahlil Okafor have on the team for the 2015-16 season?
Marc Narducci: It should be a major impact but maybe not right away. Remember, he was sidelined briefly in the preseason and wasn’t expected to be ready to play big minutes right away but he logged more than 38 minutes in a strong debut, scoring 26 points and grabbing seven rebounds in an opening loss at Boston.
If he stays healthy and improves his conditioning, which was even a question in college, he should be a major contender for Rookie of the Year and show that he is a future cornerstone. Look for Okafor and Emmanuel Mudiay to be the two rookies battling for the award.
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JH: How well will Noel transition to the 4?
MN: I think he will do well. The one problem is when he has to defend a stretch four, then it takes him away from the basket and takes away his defensive presence and rebounding ability. Offensively, he will likely remain limited at any position although he has worked hard and that short jumper of his.
Still, he and Okafor are the Sixers’ two best players and they both should be on the court a lot together. Since this team is far from a playoff contender, the good part is that Okafor and Noel will get to work their mistakes out and get used to playing with one another.
JH: Will Brett Brown guide the team to more wins than in their last two seasons?
MN: They have won 19 and 18 games, so the bar isn’t very high. The addition of Okafor should mean a few more wins, but it is hard to see the total much higher than 25.
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JH: Does Nik Stauskas find his stroke this year?
MN: I don’t see it. Part of finding a stroke is finding a shot and the Sixers don’t have great point guards to get a player like Stauskas in good shooting position. He shot 32.2 percent from three-point range and I don’t see him topping that mark this year.
JH: Does (Sam) Hinkie trade a member of the starting lineup this year?
MN: If it can get him additional draft picks, sure. It’s hard to see any of the starters other than Okafor and Noel in demand, but based on his recent track record, it seems that some Sixer starter could go in a trade.
JH: What would be the most ideal outcome for the team?
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MN: Winning 30 games, having the young players get confidence and then use the likely four draft picks in 2016 to fill in plenty of holes. With what the Sixers hope is a successful return by Joel Embiid, the possible but not definite signing of Dario Saric, the Sixers should make winning their No 1 priority next season.