Three Things To Watch In The Sixers Regular Season Opener

It’s finally here. The Sixers are back and starting off their season against Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, and the Washington Wizards.

After going through a season with more downs than ups in 2019-20, the Sixers and their fans are ready to get off on the right foot.

While the Wizards are expected to be much more than contenders for the 8th seed they still are a dangerous team in their own right.

Here’s what to watch in the Sixers’ season premier:

Turnovers

Careless turnovers have long been a thorn in the side of the Philadelphia 76ers. From 2015-2020 the Sixers finished each regular season 29th, 30th, 30th, 25th, before an anomaly last season finishing ninth last season.

During the team’s brief preseason run, turnovers reared their ugly head yet again. Head Coach Doc Rivers had the reaction that was on all of our minds.

“26 turnovers, lord have mercy.” the coach said after the game.

The team cannot expect to find success while being so lackadaisical with the ball. It’s up to Simmons, Embiid, Harris, and the rest of the team to take care of the rock against Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal.

How Does This New Sixers Team “Fit”

The Sixers had a laundry list of issues last season but more obvious than any other was the roster’s poor fit.

The Al Horford/Joel Embiid experiment was a complete nightmare while Josh Richardson was near unplayable next to Ben Simmons.

Both players were still good but they failed to fit alongside the Sixers stars. They’ve since been replaced by Seth Curry and Danny Green who are obvious upgrades in terms of fit.

Two “normally” great shooters, they were brilliant additions by Sixers’ President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.

Is the upgrade enough though?

The two combined to shoot 3/12 from three which is not exactly awe-inspiring. While it’s not likely to be a representation of their regular season performance, continued shooting woes could cause issues with the team’s fit.

If Curry and Green are not hitting shots, there’s little else that they’re providing to boost Simmons’ and Embiid’s performance.

Sixth-Man Shake

It’s no well-kept secret that both Head Coach Doc Rivers and the Sixers’ fanbase have a love affair with Shake Milton.

The third-year guard out SMU exploded on the scene last season and forced his way into the rotation going forward.

Shake has shown this preseason that last year wasn’t a fluke. While he’s far from a finished product, the young combo guard has just what the Sixers need.

His ball-handling paired with his smooth shooting fill two immense needs for the team. His performance this season will be of the utmost importance for the team.

Milton led the team in scoring in both of the Sixers’ preseason games showing his ability to catch fire a la Lou Williams.

Some have suggested Shake could enter the Sixth-Man Of The Year conversation.

One of my bold predictions for the #Sixers this season (https://t.co/1fEU0F9rRq) was that Shake Milton would win Sixth Man of the Year. After the preseason it looks like he might have a shot.
— Michael K-B (@therealmikekb) December 19, 2020

While that may be a bit premature, the sky is clearly the limit and Shake could force that narrative more and more if he plays like he did this preseason.