By Brandon Apter, managing editor
The Philadelphia 76ers opened their Summer League schedule against the Boston Celtics on Monday and all eyes were on Ben Simmons. We saw a glimpse of what kind of player he can become, but some of Simmons' teammates turned some heads as well in the Sixers 102-94 defeat.
Let's just start with Simmons. For those who have watched his game, you were probably familiar with the result. Superior court vision, excellent passing, great communication, ability to drive into the lane and get to the line despite a flawed shot that needs work. The No.1 overall pick gave us all a brief scare, exiting the game with calf cramps in the fourth quarter. He was on the bench stretching out his legs in the third quarter before returning, but both calf muscles tightened up on him in the final quarter and Simmons was helped to the locker room by teammates. He finished with 10 points on 2-for-9 shooting, going 6-for-6 from the free throw line. The LSU product added five assists and eight rebounds to his stat sheet as well. His shot still needs work, but if you watched the game, his passing ability and unselfishness with the ball will work wonders as his career progresses. Below, you'll see a phenomenal pass from Simmons to Luwawu-Cabarrot, a sign of what's to come for the Sixers.
.@BenSimmons25 threadin' needles to TLC in SLC. #SummerSixers https://t.co/EN7Ami33Dr
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) July 4, 2016
One of the bigger standouts in the game was second-year power forward Richaun Holmes. With guys like Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor on the team, Holmes played just under 14 minutes per game last season and things are going to get more crowded with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and potentially Dario Saric. Anyway, Holmes impressed on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, tallying 13 points and five blocks, showing great rim protection, something that makes Nerlens Noel more valuable. It's unclear as to what his role will be on the team this season with the frontcourt log jam, but Holmes definitely showed that he's worth a good look for more playing time. Check out one his emphatic five blocks below.
Richaun Holmes has 5 BIG blocks tonight! #UtahJazzSL https://t.co/9mtTRmIkfh
— Utah Jazz SL (@UtahJazzSL) July 5, 2016
Christian Wood spent the majority of the 2015-16 season in the D-League with the Delaware 87ers, but saw some time with the Sixers, signing two 10-day contracts with the team. He showed some range in the Summer League opener, hitting a three pointer and going 7-for-9 from the floor overall while also notching five rebounds.
Another second year guy on the team that impressed was T.J. McConnell. Whether or not McConnell starts the year as the main point guard for the Sixers remains to be seen, especially with the recent signings of Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez. Those signings didn't phase the 2015 undrafted free agent out of Arizona, as he put together some very good looking no-look passes, kept his dribbling active and took care of the ball relatively well, all with a new hairdo. He had only five points, but he dished out seven assists and also grabbed seven boards.
No. 24 overall pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot showed aggressiveness on the defensive end while also putting on a nice display as to what he can do when it comes to catch-and-shoot three balls. The 21-year-old out of France finished with 13 points on 3-for-7 shooting, adding an assist and three rebounds to his debut.
The full box can be found below:
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