The Philadelphia 76ers have one last chance to fix their on-court rhythm before the real games begin. They face the Boston Celtics on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. This is not a game for hiding. The starters must play together to show they can win.
Nick Nurse has a clear plan for how much time the big names get. He told reporters after practice that the team wants to keep the main group in the game for a long time. “The plan is we would like to get the majority of them into the second half…Then it’s probably fairly short after that,” Nurse said, according to a report from Liberty Ballers. This is exactly what the fans need to see.
You need to see how LeBron James and Joel Embiid move together. You need to see if Jaylen Brown fits the system. The team lost badly to Boston on Saturday, giving up 144 points to 106. That score hurts, but the focus now is on the new stars playing as a unit. Per Liberty Ballers, the starting five played together for the first time recently against the Nets. The offense looked fast and full of energy in that short time.
Friday game is about making those connections stick.
Why The Chemistry Test Matters Now
The regular season starts on October 20 in New York. That is only a few days away. There is no time for slow starts or bad passing. The Sixers have built a roster with huge talent. The goal is to reach the mountaintop, according to Yahoo Sports. But talent alone does not win titles. The players need to know where each other will be on the court.
Dominick Barlow will not play due to a back injury. Anfernee Simons and Adem Bona are out too, though they are back at practice. These absences mean the starters must carry the load. The team needs to see how well they push the ball in transition. They need to see if the defense can communicate.
LeBron James is the one who will start the offense. The rest of the team must learn to move without the ball. If they can do this, they will be hard to stop. If they cannot, they will struggle against good teams. The Celtics are a good test. They just beat Philadelphia by 38 points. The Sixers need to show they have learned from that loss.
What To Watch For In The Second Half
The most important part of this game is the second half. That is when the starters will play the most. Nurse said the time after the early second half will be short. This means the big stars will get the bulk of their work then. It is the best way to build habits before the season starts.
You will see Paul George in the rematch. He scored 13 points in his first game. Jayson Tatum scored 23 points last time. Payton Pritchard led Boston with 25 points. The Sixers need to match that energy. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. You can watch it on NBA TV or NBC Sports Philadelphia.
The team must end the preseason on a high note. They need to feel ready for the opener. The fans want to see a team that works together. The Sixers have the pieces to be great. They just need to prove they can play as one.
