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What does the preseason actually determine? Do the wins and losses matter? The answer to the second question is quite literally, no. The answer to the first is general improvements from individual players, and some idea of what the rotations could look like come the regular season.

The San Antonio Spurs saw a little bit of both in their 123-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Before the game, head coach Mitch Johnson announced that De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama would start the game. The three-guard lineup that many had speculated about would get plenty of time together, joined by their best movement shooter and last year’s defensive player of the year. But right before tip-off, the Spurs announced that Fox would miss the game with soreness from Thursday morning’s practice, putting Julian Champagnie into the starting five.

San Antonio got off to a great 39-20 first-quarter lead without Fox, led mostly by Harper. The second-year guard had 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in his 16 first-half minutes. Harper looked to be in mid-season form, dominating with his size and strength in the paint. The newer development was Harper’s three-point shooting, particularly off the bounce. Harper knocked down three of his five three-pointers, two of them off the dribble, and another on a catch-and-shoot attempt in the corner.

Harper’s three-point shooting is a development to watch. He will be one of the toughest covers in the NBA if he can combine three-point shooting, particularly off the dribble, with his elite downhill driving ability.

Speaking of downhill driving ability, Carter Bryant looked much more comfortable in his second career preseason. The sophomore was composed (except for a silly turnover in the second quarter when he passed to a teammate who wasn’t looking at him), made quick decisions, and played with more confidence than he showed last season. Bryant finished the game with 11 points, including two three-pointers, and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes.

The rest of the Spurs showed just about what you would expect from them. Wembanyama’s jumper was falling; he was a lob threat in the pick-and-roll, and he created a no-go zone around the rim. Castle was a force getting to the rim and hit his sole catch-and-shoot three-point attempt. Champagnie hit a pair of catch-and-shoot threes and flashed his ability to attack a closeout. Keldon Johnson brought energy off the bench, and Vassell continued to look like one of the best shooters on the team.

Another less positive familiar trend reared its nasty head in San Antonio’s first preseason game. After jumping out to a 23-point lead in the first half, the Spurs let the Hawks chip away at the lead until it was just a 7-point game going into halftime. San Antonio lost the game for good in the second half, albeit with the starters resting and the depth players logging all of the minutes. Preseason losses don’t mean anything, but it’s unfortunate to see the Spurs blow a lead after what just happened in last year’s NBA Finals.

David Jones-Garcia and Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way for San Antonio in the second half. The guard duo had the ball in their hands frequently and made the most of it. Jones-Garcia had 14 points on 4-for-9 shooting, while Gillespie scored 8 points on 3-for-6 shooting, including a deep three in the fourth quarter. Rookie Tarris Reed Jr. looked like a monster on the glass, grabbing 6 rebounds, 2 of them offensive.

Remember, last preseason the Spurs were playing double-big lineups and players who didn’t make the regular-season rotation. There were hints of what San Antonio will look like come October 20th, but the final product, as they look to make another Finals run, is still a work in progress.

Preseason Bell Ringer rankings:

Jaylen Brown – 1

It was the first game the starting five of LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid all played together, and there is a ton to be excited about.

Jaylen Brown continued his strong preseason against the Nets, tallying 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He made up for a slow start with a full house spreading the basketball around by taking over in the early moments of the second half.

Considering he earned Bell Ringer honors in the first game, it felt most sensible to showcase the stars we saw for the first time.

LeBron James:10 points, 18 minutes, 1-of-1 FG, 8-of-8 FT, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

James looked in control for all of his 18 minutes, finding open Sixers in transition on what seemed like every possession for the first six minutes.

Although his only field goal came in the form of an early post-up finish over Drake Powell and Mo Wagner, most of James’ points came at the free throw line. He was a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, converting drives into points.

His court vision has the chance to really elevate the games of Maxey, Edgecombe and Brown. It will be a focal point if Embiid can look more comfortable before the regular season begins. He finished with eight turnovers.

Tyrese Maxey: 14 points, 5-of-8 FG, 2-of-4 3PT, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal

Maxey looks incredibly fast and showcased his speed on a nasty baseline dunk over Egor Demin.

He made two threes and appeared to be in a rhythm early. First three was off a James assist while the second three was running in transition and receiving the return pass from VJ Edgecombe.

He was playing very comfortable off-ball, playing a cutoff-man role to help pace out the offense or push the pace in transition.

LeBron James made his first on-court appearance since signing with the 76ers.

James, 41, made his preseason debut with Philadelphia on Thursday, playing 30 minutes during the 114-108 loss to the Nets on Thursday.

Scoring was not on the agenda for James, who scored 10 points while going 1-for-1 from the field and 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

James, who took a playmaking role for the majority of the game, also put up four rebounds, five assists and a steal.

Thursday’s game was James’ first appearance in a Sixers uniform since signing a two-year, $7.95 million veteran-minimum contract with the franchise in July.

When speaking to reporters in September, James expressed full confidence in bringing a championship to Philadelphia, saying that he hopes to bring his previous winning experience to the team.

“I hope that I can, you know, bring that experience, bring that knowledge, bring the blueprint to the guys that’s trying to accomplish some things that they haven’t done in their career,” James said. “I’ve seen everything that this league has to offer on the floor and off the floor, so I hope that every single day with my approach to the game, approach to the work, that it can translate to every single guy.”

Drama has already started in Philadelphia, however, with reports saying that James let Joel Embiid “hear it” after the Sixers star big man was “a couple of minutes late” to a practice.

During Monday’s preseason game between Philadelphia and the Knicks, Mike Breen relayed the story that someone told him about the two.

“I had somebody tell me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiid walked out onto the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen said on the MSG broadcast.

James vehemently denied Breen’s comments through a post on his Instagram story.

“He ain’t been late so stop the lies,” James wrote. 

Following James’ comeback, Breen apologized for the initial report, saying that the story was taken out of context.

“I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted,” Breen told ESPN.

“The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late.” 

The Cleveland Cavaliers opened their first of three preseason games with a loss to the Boston Celtics.

We’re trying a new format for player grades this year. The goal is to separate players into categories and trim some fat from each game. We’ll be focusing more on the standouts (for better or worse) instead of grading every individual player.

Let us know in the comments if this template is enjoyable.

As always, grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Jaylon Tyson

14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

No one played enough minutes tonight to really earn this title. And it’s hard for me to give it to a player who didn’t even play in the second half. But Tyson looked like he was taking the next step in his natural progression, scoring 14 points in 16 minutes by being everywhere offensively.

Tyson hit a three-pointer, cut to the basket for a handful of layups, and ran the two-man game with Evan Mobley with efficiency. He has the tools to be a fantastic role player off the bench, and this was a sign that Tyson is ready for that leap.

Grade: B+

Gold Stars

Craig Porter Jr.

5 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Porter has been challenged to be more of a leader off the bench. Dishing out 10 assists feels like a good start. The fourth-year guard navigated the floor and ran the offense like someone who has experience under his belt. That could be the difference-maker in his race to be Cleveland’s backup point guard this season.

Grade: B+

Meleek Thomas

11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

After a quiet first half, Thomas opened the second with a string of successful plays. A drive to the basket, followed by a catch-and-shoot triple, capped off by a steal and coast-to-coast finish. Moments later, he’d add to the run with another steal and an outlet pass to Craig Porter Jr. for an assist.

In the fourth quarter, Thomas was given the opportunity to dribble the ball more frequently. This led to some slippery moments where he broke down his defender and got into the middle of the floor for a bucket. His shifty handle will be an X-factor in his development.

Grade: B

Passed the Class

Peyton Watson

7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

Cavs fans got their first look at Watson in a Cleveland jersey tonight. It was brief, but it was mostly sweet. Watson dished out 4 assists as he pushed the ball in transition and fit in nicely with the rest of the starters. He also buried a corner three-pointer, though he shot just 1-of-4 from downtown.

Watson also defended Mike Conley to start the game. A sign that Cleveland plans on using Watson to shore up their point-of-attack defense. We won’t know how impactful this can be until the real games start. But Watson’s mobility on the perimeter looked strong, even if the defensive effort around him was lacking tonight.

Grade: B-

Donovan Mitchell

There isn’t much for Mitchell to accomplish in preseason other than get his feet under him. He did so tonight, spinning his way around the court for 11 points and doing just enough before bowing out at halftime.

Grade: B-

Sam Merrill

8 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists

We know what Merrill does on a basketball court. He didn’t record a single stat other than scoring, but seeing him drill a 30-foot bomb is always going to get me excited.

Merrill shot 3-for-4 from the floor and scored 8 points before resting the remainder of the game.

Grade: B–

Evan Mobley

8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

I thought Mobley would have had more assists tonight given the way he was moving the ball. His handle and vision looked as strong as ever, with Mobley walking the ball up the court and plowing into the lane for his most impressive bucket of the night.

He wasn’t much of a factor on defense, however. We know it’s preseason, but someone still has to grab a rebound.

Grade: C+

Missed the mark

Merio Hezonja

5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

Hezonja just played his first NBA (preseason) game in roughly six years. So, we won’t judge him too harshly for having cold feet.

That said, Hezonja looked clumsy in his first few minutes. An ugly turnover and a very hectic sequence dribbling the ball had us all wondering if his return to the league would be more choppy than we thought. He shot 2-for-7 from the field and has much to prove moving forward.

His presence on the glass and multiple assists could be something he hangs his hat on in the future. He’ll just need to get more comfortable on the floor before all of that clicks into place.

Grade: D+

‘Tis the preseason. The Brooklyn Nets began theirs on Tuesday night in Charlotte, putting on quite the performance, particularly at the offensive end, as they aerosol sprayed the “Hornets” en route to a 124-90 victory. Hornets is in parenthesis because Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Coby White all sat out.

Thursday, it was the Philadelphia 76ers’ turn to be the showmen. Remember Brooklyn’s “Big 3”? Well, Philly now has a “Big 5” and they all suited up on the floor for the first time this evening as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joined Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.

The Nets started Egor Dëmin, Keon Ellis, Noah Clowney, Julius Randle, and Mo Wagner. Michael Porter Jr. and Day’Ron Sharpe sat out. Mikel Brown Jr. remains on the shelf with a rolled ankle.

Hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby? It sure sounded that way going into the game. Few teams, if any, can field a five that matches Philly’s in terms of point blank talent. The Nets certainly can’t on paper.

However, this was a basketball game, not a comic book, even if the Philly’s starting group looked like The Avengers. The Nets had as impressive of a win as the preseason will allow. Here are a few takeaways from the upset.

6:37, 1Q – Brooklyn Nets 15, Philadelphia 76ers 15

• There were already going to be questions about Brooklyn interior defense going into this season with Day’Ron Sharpe stepping in as the lead rim protector. So, with Sharpe sitting out tonight, the bow inside expectedly broke early. The 76ers scored an abundance of their first quarter buckets with baseline cuts. When the regular season starts, the Nets will want to make sure their back court communicates better with the front court. More importantly, they’ll want to make sure Day’Ron Sharpe plays.

• The Sixers weren’t the only ones trying to attack the rim early. Dëmin, who spoke all summer about expanding his shot diet, had quite the two-point take early in the first. He beat LeBron James off the dribble and went through Joel Embiid to score at the rim. I know that sounds like Nets fan fiction, but trust me, it happened. It’s as clear a sign of his growth as you’ll see.

5:52, 1Q – Brooklyn Nets 19, Philadelphia 76ers 15

• Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Chaney Johnson, Danny Wolf, and Josh Minott replaced the starters at this point in the first. Perhaps that’s meaningless with absences from Porter Jr. and Sharpe already disrupting the rotation, but it might also be a sign of what Jordi Fernández’s regular season bench will look like.

• This five also played a bit of 2-3 zone. Still attacking the baseline, Philly had little trouble scoring against it.

0:31, 1Q – Brooklyn Nets 31, Philadelphia 76ers 31

• Chaney Johnson took and made a three less than 10 seconds into the shot clock near the end of the first. We know Chaney can shoot, and we know Jordi Fernández has never been brash about encouraging his guys to let it fly. However, Mo Wagner also pulled a semi-contested corner one earlier in the game, which is a bit more eyebrow-raising. So, while the personnel has changed, Jordi’s philosophy on shooting seems to be the same.

10:01, 2Q – Brooklyn Nets 36, Philadelphia 76ers 32

• Once the starters and reserves started to mix, one thing became clear: the Nets are going to stick with the switch. I saw Drake Powell on LeBron James at least twice at the top of the key. Brooklyn largely did that in their first preseason game as well.
• NBA defenses often live and die based on how they defend screens. And, in the second, Brooklyn lived by it, forcing four turnovers in the period’s first four minutes. They were especially physical in their pursuit of these extra possessions, often along the elbow and in the low post. Wagner had James visibly frustrated on more than one occasion.

4:24, 2Q – Brooklyn Nets 44, Philadelphia 76ers 45

• As the Nets look to establish themselves as that gritty team nobody wants to play, wreaking havoc in the backcourt appears to be on the agenda. Traoré poking away this possession from Jaylen Brown to set up Danny with an alley-oop as just one bit of evidence supporting that claim. The Nets ended up turning the 76ers over 22 times by the end of the game.

1:12, 2Q – Brooklyn Nets 52, Philadelphia 76ers 56

• At the other end, however, Traoré might need to work on his chemistry with Randle. He had a few misplaced dump-offs as the two ran pick-and-roll down the stretch of the second. Those turnovers helped Philly retake the lead entering the break.

HALF – Brooklyn Nets 56, Philadelphia 76ers 58

• Egor was willing and able to probe inside consistently against a legitimate NBA defense, with several takes to the basket outside of that aforementioned one over Embiid. That means it’s real now. He’s not just attacking G-League players or rookies in Las Vegas. He’s doing it against All-NBA defenders. Dëmin’s touch around the rim still needs work, but you’ll surely take the improvement for what it is. It’s also rare to see an athlete identify such a clear weakness in his game and work so deliberately to address it. He’s lived up to everything we’ve heard about his work ethic, and this may be the clearest evidence of that yet.
• This team has the potential to be the gritty, pain-in-the-butt matchup for contenders many of us want them to be. Wagner had King James shouting at the officials like a spoiled monarch on more than on occasion. As Philly’s turnovers were mounting, Drake Powell also drew a foul on an Embiid screen in the backcourt. Embiid got in Ed Malloy’s face, and got a tech. Needless to say, the Nets got the 76ers pissed, and they did it in a game that doesn’t even matter. That’s telling.

9:47, 3Q – Brooklyn Nets 60, Philadelphia 76ers 64

• You don’t often see multi-year All-Stars on the other side of 30 playing in the second half of a preseason game. You see them diving on the court for loose balls even less. Julius Randle did both here. I think Nets fans are going to like him more than they realize.
• Randle’s on-ball gravity at the other end is still a factor as well. He initiated much of Brooklyn’s offense early in the third just by getting in and getting the ball back out to shooters. Having that to fall back on during broken plays or wayward possessions will be huge, and it’s something Brooklyn’s hasn’t had in a long time.

5:02, 3Q – Brooklyn Nets 82, Philadelphia 76ers 75

• Noah Clowney and Danny Wolf can still do that thing where they makes a handful of threes in a flash after having little-to-no points all game. If the Nets are able to make good on their intentions to stay in more games this year, that’ll make those sequences more fun to watch as well.

1:34, 3Q – Brooklyn Nets 90, Philadelphia 76ers 79

• The Nets established their largest lead of the game at this point via an 8-0 run. The 76ers also pulled all their main rotation players off the floor a few minutes before this. Sorry, I feel like I have to mention that.

11:51, 4Q – Brooklyn Nets 90, Philadelphia 76ers 79

• Ben Saraf and Terance Mann both played their first minutes of the night here. Just incase it ends up meaning anything, it’s worth noting. Saraf did connect on his first triple of the game from the right wing, but struggled to run the offense after that.

4:45, 4Q – Brooklyn Nets 107, Philadelphia 76ers 97

• It’s never too late, even in the preseason, to make hustle plays. Grant Nelson had several in the final five minutes of this one, particularly on the offensive glass. As Brooklyn’s offense began to falter down the stretch, he kept them afloat, mining for extra possessions. It was the least flashy “closer” performance I’ve seen in some time, but worked nonetheless, and that’s what matters.

END OF GAME

• I know, it’s only the preseason, but the 76ers started a lineup tonight that’ll at worst be an all-time NBA 2K team. The Nets went toe-to-toe with them, and minus Porter Jr., Brown Jr., and Sharpe. In my opinion, a lot of factors have to align for a preseason game to warrant true optimism from fans, but this one had them all. Don’t got crazy, but you’re allowed to like what you saw.
• Again, Egor’s development, specifically where it’s happening, is beyond encouraging.
• On the contrary, it’s not looking good for Ben Saraf. Not that it would’ve mattered much, but Brooklyn almost let this one slip after giving him the keys to the offense. It’s hard to get around that when you consider the defenders he was facing at that point.

Next Up

Brooklyn’s tour of new look teams in the preseason rolls on with a visit to the nation’s capital on Monday. The Nets will face off against the Washington Wizards at 7:00 p.m. EST.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 114, Philadelphia 76ers 108 – NBA.com
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 114, Philadelphia 76ers (Video) – NBA.com
• Sixers’ LeBron James praised by Nets big men Julius Randle, Moe Wagner – Ky Carlin – USA TODAY

Nick Young wanted to fight D’Angelo Russell in 2016.

The two former Lakers teammates’ relationship was reportedly over after Russell leaked a video of Young confessing to cheating on his ex-fiancée and rapper Iggy Azalea. Young was infuriated with the former second overall pick and revealed he was prepared to rumble with Russell following the incident.

“I tried to get to the arena, they had security and everything. They stopped me at the door, told me I couldn’t come in, take a couple of days off,” Young told Shannon Sharpe on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast.

“I had the whole gang with me. It was about to go crazy,” Young added.

Young never ended up fighting Russell, but he got his revenge in another way — through his family.

“I ain’t never been in a situation like that where my teammate just snitched on me. I was like, ‘they’re gonna call me a punk in the media,’ and I’m mad for real, I gotta do something. I gotta show him. I know he’s young, 19, 18 or whatever, but still you don’t do nothing like that,” Young said.

Young went on to tell Sharpe how his friend helped him with the revenge on Russell’s brother.

“I still had to get him, so while he was playing, a couple friends of mine had to get his brother in the family lounge and all that. I had to get some type of get-back,” Young said.

A confused Sharpe asked how that was able to stay out of the media given how publicized the moment was.

“It’s the Lakers. There’s a lot of things that go on in LA,” Young answered. “LA is no place for the weak.”

The topic is still a point of contention for Young, who said his relationship with Russell was never the same after he seemingly broke the unwritten rule of never snitching on teammates.

“It was over after that,” Young said.

The Washington Wizards defeated the New York Knicks, 111-109 on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. The win gives Washington a 1-0 record in the preseason.

As you might have expected, the Wizards started their Big Three of AJ Dybantsa, Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Washington even finished with a 30-29 lead. Dybantsa didn’t start out too hot, but he did make this nice drive to the hoop in the second quarter.

And he made this nice assist to Bilal Coulibaly on the fast break.

Ultimately, the Knicks had the stronger second quarter and headed into halftime with a 63-57 lead.

Washington was able to cut the lead down in the third quarter despite being behind by as many as 10 points. But a strong fourth quarter, which started with this go-ahead bucket by Will Riley helped give Washington the momentum needed to take down the NBA Champions.

Anthony Davis led the Wizards with 16 points while Trae Young added 15 points and made some long three pointers. Dybantsa scored 11.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson and Landry Shamet co-led with 13 points.

The Wizards’ next game is on Saturday when they host the Detroit Pistons. Tip off is at 7 p.m. ET. See you then.

It’s understandable if it’s still hard to believe, but the Sixers’ starting lineup of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid made its debut Thursday night in Brooklyn.

It was just a preseason game, but it gave us a fun glimpse of what can be in the Sixers’ 114-108 loss to the Nets.

Brown led the way with 18 points while Maxey had 14 points and James finished with 10 points, five assists and four rebounds. Maxey and James did not play in the second half. Edgecombe chipped in with 11 points. Embiid had six points, three rebounds and three assists, but looked rusty, committing eight turnovers.

Anfernee Simons (hamstring), Dominick Barlow (back) and Adem Bona (foot) were all out.

Next up for the Sixers is their penultimate preseason game in Boston against the Celtics Saturday night.

First quarter

• Embiid comfortably switching onto Keon Ellis on the first possession of his first preseason game feels like a massive positive. He had another possession on Nolan Traore which led to a miss. He was moving extremely well. The only blemish for Embiid was his three turnovers. He looked a little rusty dealing with ball pressure.
• The Sixers’ first basket of the game was on a LeBron hit-ahead pass to Edgecombe. This team should be a nightmare to handle in transition. The ball movement was breath-taking at times.

• Maxey’s first bucket was a dunk on a baseline drive. He then buried a couple threes off movement. This lineup is going to allow Maxey to flourish as an off-ball scorer. He led the Sixers with 10 points in the first.

• A brief scare as Mo Wagner pushed Embiid in the back on a box out and the big man rolled into Brown. Brown was down for minute grabbing his right knee, but got up and appeared no worse for wear.
• Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were the first subs. Wade did exactly what you’d hope he’d do, snagging two offensive rebounds, burying a corner three and playing stout defense.
• The defense looked leaky to say the least, but the offense was ridiculous. They had 10 assists on 12 made field goals. LeBron had half of the those dimes and finished the quarter with four points, five assists and two rebounds. The game was tied at 33-33 after one.

Second quarter

• Nearly a highlight-reel alley-oop to start the second. After great hustle from Wade and Jabari Walker, KCP was on the break with Edgecombe. Unfortunately, Ellis broke up what would’ve been a nasty slam.
• Labaron Philon, Jr. getting some minutes with the regulars and buries a three off a Maxey drive. Love Nurse experimenting with a smaller backcourt, though those minutes will likely be Simons’ when he’s healthy.

• Another turnover for Embiid. Mo Wagner is playing like it’s the NBA Finals, which good for him, but it did look like he might’ve fouled Embiid. Embiid then picked up a frustration foul (it was a bit soft) followed by a technical. It’s been a frustrating night for Embiid offensively.
• If there was one aspect of Embiid’s game that looked good it was his passing. He delivered a frozen rope pass to Wade on the baseline, who was then fouled.
• Speaking of Wade, he’s proving to be an outstanding cutter so far. He had a few impressive defensive possessions on the strong-bodied Julius Randle as well. He looks like an oustanding fit.
• Again, the defense has been rough at times, but the Nets only shot 39.2% from the field. The turnover battle was the issue, with the Sixers only forcing four in the first half while committing 14. That — and a serious Sixers’ free throw advantage — led to Brooklyn taking 20 more field goal attempts. Embiid had seven. Many of the giveaways were a clear result of guys simply not playing together.
• With all that said, the offensive talent is just so overwhelming. There are mismatches and advantages on every single possession. The Sixers were up 58-56 at half. Maxey led the way with 14 points while James had 10 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Third quarter

• Embiid, Brown and Edgecombe were all out to start the second half. Wade and Philon joined them as LeBron and Maxey sat.
• Brown started to take over a little offensively like he did the other night. He had an excellent kick-out pass to Wade on a drive for another three.

• Another turnover for Embiid. He’s really got to tighten it up. Sure, a couple have been caused by timing issues, but a few have just been plain sloppy.
• The Nets’ strategy seemed to be to make the officials call fouls. On one hand, it did seem to slow the Philly offense down. On the other, Wagner had five fouls and Randle four not even midway through the third quarter.
• Without James and Maxey, the offense seemed to get stagnant. The ball stopped moving and there was a bit too much iso ball.
• Brown really started cooking with a bench-heavy unit. He made a gorgeous teardrop, buried a three and then delivered a beautiful behind-the-back pass to Jabari Walker, which led to a foul. He scored 18 points in just under 24 minutes.

• Walker is having an excellent preseason. He put back a Justin Edwards missed three and then took a charge on the ensuing possession. Walker proving to be a legitimate stretch big option would be a welcomed development.

• The Nets went on an 11-0 run as the Sixers subbed out most of their regulars. Brooklyn took a 93-81 lead into the fourth.

Fourth quarter

• Philon hasn’t shot well in the first two preseason games, but when you watch him, you see the potential. The handle and the creation ability are real. He’ll start to make more of these as the game reps increase.
• It’s been a struggle for Justin Edwards so far. I thought he’d have a chance to compete with KCP for minutes this season. Thus far he looks like the team’s 14th man. He did make a few shots late, which will hopefully give him a confidence boost going forward.
• Take it for what it’s worth, but Kate Scott mentioned on the broadcast that Tacko Fall might be available for Saturday’s game in Boston. It would be fun to watch the 7-foot-6 center play, but he also has a legitimate chance to earn the Sixers’ final two-way deal. With the season-ending injury to Ariel Hukporti, it’s not crazy to think Fall would get regular season minutes if he earns that spot.
• Jameer Nelson Jr. has been really good! He plays his butt off on both ends. Should be a solid addition to the Blue Coats this season. Honestly, the team down in Delaware should be entertaining.