The phrase, "It's just preseason," is thrown around a lot during the NBA's two-week exhibition slate. But sometimes, it matters, especially for a couple of 76ers players.
Philadelphia will host the Celtics on Friday, October 16, at 7 p.m. in its preseason finale . The 76ers haven't been fully healthy at any point of the preseason and their availability for Friday has yet to be determined. Still, a handful of Philadelphia players could benefit from a good showing against Boston as Nick Nurse decides the rotation for the regular season.
Here are three players who come to mind:
The preseason hasn't been kind to Justin Edwards, who's averaged 8.3 points on 42.1% shooting from the field and 2.7 turnovers in three exhibitions.
The 22-year-old's decision-making and lagging perimeter defense have made him an underwhelming fit with Philadelphia's top-end guys. Edwards scored all 12 of his points in the fourth quarter of the 76ers' 144-106 loss to the Celtics on Oct. 10.
Three preseason games won't define Edwards' campaign, but his improving in any regard could determine his place in the rotation. The forward's spot-up shooting is already there, sinking 37.5% of his triples this preseason, but he's offered little besides that.
If Edwards cannot progress in his third season, it's possible that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope inherits the reserve small forward minutes.
Labaron Philon Jr. was the talk of Philadelphia's first-week training camp sessions, but that hasn't fully translated in the exhibitions. The rookie scored in double digits once, with 14 points against Boston.
Otherwise, he's shooting 30% from the field in the preseason, struggling to score within the three-point line.
But Philon's troubles aren't because he's experiencing difficulty adjusting to the NBA. His ball-handling and pace are league-ready; it's about shots falling and him maintaining patience.
Philon's shooting from beyond the arc, on and off the ball, has been there. Once he combines all those pieces, he may receive an opportunity to run the second-unit offense.
The 76ers need Adem Bona more than ever after Ariel Hukporti's season ended against the Knicks on Oct 5. But Bona is dealing with an injury himself, a left foot sprain, and has yet to play in the preseason.
Nurse told reporters on Tuesday that Bona partially participated in practice.
If he plays against the Celtics on Friday, it could preview how non-Embiid minutes look.
Bona, at 6-foot-10, has struggled with fouling and rebounding in his two-year NBA career. There's no better team than the Celtics for him to show improvement; Boston had 34 second-chance points against Philadelphia.
Bona holding his own against Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta would leave quite an impression.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/76ers/onsi as 3 76ers Who Need to End Preseason on a High Note .
