Player grades: LeBron James, Sixers end preseason with loss to Celtics
· Yahoo Sports
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers played host to the Boston Celtics on Friday looking to end the preseason schedule on a high note. The Sixers were looking to get things moving in the right direction in terms of getting guys ready for opening night on Tuesday as the starters got some extended minutes in the exhibition finale.
The Sixers were able to see LeBron James make his unofficial home debut as he gave the fans a show with the few offensive opportunities he took advantage of. He finished with eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists as the Sixers fell to the Celtics 125-120 at home in overtime. Philadelphia will now move ahead to opening night in the champs' house on Tuesday.
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Joel Embiid had 27 points and eight rebounds along with five assists for the Sixers while Jaylen Brown added 20 points and eight rebounds, Tyrese Maxey had 22 points and six assists, and Labaron Philon Jr. had 11 points and six assists. Jabari Walker added 13 points off the bench.
Here are the player grades following the loss:
Tyrese Maxey: A
The Celtics didn’t have their regulars in this one, so that meant Maxey was able to do whatever he wanted on the offensive end. He lived at the free-throw line as he was able to give Boston a ton of trouble thanks to his quickness off the dribble. He had success getting to the basket, he was able to knock down open 3s, ran the two-man action well as a ball-handler, and he had an overall solid offensive night. There were some sloppy turnovers, but Maxey and the Sixers are still in the process of figuring everything out.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: B-minus
The Sixers don’t need Caldwell-Pope to be this big-time scorer. When he is on the floor, his intangibles will really stand out as they did in this one. He was in the right spots on the defensive end of the floor, he was active, and he was able to space the floor well for the offense to flow. He missed some open looks that he will have to convert on when the season begins, but he had some good moments in the third quarter.
Jaylen Brown: A
He had an up-and-down night in terms of his 3-point shot, but Brown was able to make an impact in this one just by putting his head down, being physical, and getting to the basket. Again, the Celtics didn’t have many real defensive options so they couldn’t really stop him. Brown finished in the paint, got to the line, and made plays defensively. He was aggressive on the glass, made plays with his passing, and scored efficiently inside the paint. Exactly what the Sixers are looking for in this moment. As the season wears on, Brown is going to be a big offensive engine for this group.
LeBron James: A-minus
The future Hall of Famer threw down a lob from Maxey as he was able to show off his leaping ability a bit. The superstar forward was then able to run some pick-and-roll action with Maxey when he finished through heavy contact for an And-1, he was directing traffic, and made sure everybody was involved. His playmaking ability is truly going to be something to behold all season. With that being said, he also looked like he was going half-speed when considering it is the preseason finale. The real games are about to begin.
Joel Embiid: A
There were some tough turnovers in the early going, but Embiid was able to put his head down, bully Boston’s big men, and get to the free-throw line. He had some struggles with his 3-point shot, but the big fella finding success in the paint and at the line is an encouraging sign. He is still so dominant when he has the ball in his hands and is able to have space to operate. He had a vicious slam in the third quarter which is probably a clear indicator that he is as healthy as he’s ever been. The Celtics truly didn’t know what to do in terms of how to slow him down.
Dean Wade: B
Wade had some trouble with Celtics wing Hugo Gonzalez as he was caught with some tough foul calls, but Wade also did normal Wade things. He spaced the floor, made the hustle plays, and was tough on the defensive end. He will continue to be such an important piece to this group.
Jabari Walker: A-minus
Walker wrapped up the preseason with another strong performance. He was active on the defensive end, helpful on the glass, forced the Celtics to pay attention to him, and he got to the line. He wasn’t able to knock down his open 3s in this one, but overall, it was a very strong exhibition schedule for the big man out of Colorado.
Labaron Philon Jr.: A
The rookie just has a knack for putting the ball in the basket. He’s lightning quick, he’s strong, and he’s just a smart basketball player. He took care of the basketball and played well off the bench. He had a few good moments in this one that suggest he will be in the rotation sooner rather than later.
Justin Edwards: D
After a slow start in which he allowed a dunk off a defensive miscue, Edwards made up for it with some hustle plays and he had a nice turnaround jumper. Overall, though, not the greatest game for Edwards.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: LeBron James, Sixers end preseason with loss to Celtics