The Philadelphia 76ers continued the preseason on Saturday morning as they took on the New York Knicks in the second and final Abu Dhabi game looking to build. The Sixers dropped the first of these games on Thursday and were hoping for a better outing in this one.
The result was the same as the Sixers fell to the Knicks 112-104, but there were some positive performances in this one. VJ Edgecombe had a solid outing for Philadelphia as he continued to prepare for his maiden season in the NBA. Tyrese Maxey had some bright moments as well and the Sixers shot much better than the 3-for-35 from deep they shot in the Thursday opener.
Please note that the official stats for Saturday’s game began malfunctioning so there weren’t any updated official numbers for anybody. This story will be updated with stats when everything is fixed.
With that being said, here are the player grades following the preseason loss to the Knicks:
Tyrese Maxey: C-plus
It was a slow start for Maxey as he was unable to find much rhythm in the early part of this game and had struggles against Knicks star Jalen Brunson. He did break through a bit by getting to the foul line and with a triple off the break. He then got to his spot in the mid-range and knocked down a jumper which should be something he’ll add to his game. Overall, not a great showing for Maxey, but it is the preseason and it’s all about shaking off the rust to prepare for the season.
VJ Edgecombe: B-plus
The rookie finally got his poster. After barely missing one in the preseason opener on Thursday, Edgecombe rose up and threw down a vicious one-handed slam as he showed off his athleticism in the preseason. He was all over the place in this one as he was terrific on the defensive end with his activity and he also did a good job of spacing and understanding where he needed to be on the offensive end. He showed an ability to find open spots in this one off the ball to get himself some easy buckets.
Kelly Oubre Jr.: C
This wasn’t a great Oubre start. He struggled with his efficiency and picked up a technical foul in the early going after a Knicks bucket and he felt that there should have been an offensive foul called. To his credit, he stayed with it and was able to give the Sixers an offensive presence in the second half of this one. Again, just preseason. It’s time to shake off the cobwebs a bit.
Dominick Barlow: B
The performance for Barlow started with him knocking down a 3 in the corner. If he is going to willingly take those open shots, then the Sixers will be able to give him more time on the floor. Philadelphia will need him to play many positions as it focuses on the versatility he brings to the table and shooting 3s is a part of that.
Adem Bona: B-minus
The energy Bona brought to the floor in this one was apparent. He was aggressive in terms of his rebounding and was a presence on the defensive end of the floor. The Sixers weren’t able to find him for many lob attempts as they did on Thursday, but Philadelphia will take his constant energy and him being in the right place at the right time on offense as he did in this one.
Andre Drummond: B-plus
The initial stint for Drummond was a normal Drummond outing. He attacked the glass aggressively, was a presence in the paint on both ends, knocked down a corner 3, and was overall helpful. This was a solid performance for him as he looks to stake his claim that he should still be the backup center for this roster.
Jabari Walker: B
After a non-descript first half, Walker had some good moments after halftime. He got to start the second half and immediately showed off some good moves with the basketball in his hands being able to get to the basket and finish. Overall, Walker continues to show that he can help right now. It will be interesting to see how the Sixers handle the rotation.
Justin Edwards: D-minus
After a brutal performance on Thursday, Edwards got off to another rough start in this one. He had a lot of good looks, but was unable to cash in on many of them as his struggles continued. He also had a few tough moments on the defensive end as the Knicks caught him lacking on some off-ball movement. He did finally get a triple to fall in the second half of this one.
Johni Broome: B
The rookie big man entered the game and immediately converted on a jump hook. He has a clear understanding of what coach Nick Nurse wants from him and he plays well without the ball in his hands. He has a soft touch around the basket and should be able to give Philadelphia some production should he gave his name called.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Sixers fall to Knicks again in second Abu Dhabi game