The Philadelphia Sixers have been tearing up the Eastern Conference in the NBA. Their immense depth and talent do not stop there, however. Philly’s G-League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, have been doing their best to mimic their big league team. Led by rookie Paul Reed, the Blue Coats placed themself fourth in the Orlando bubble with a 10-5 record.
Despite rattling off a rapid seven game win streak to start the season, the Blue Coats came back to reality. They did end up finishing their last eight games with a 3-5 record, but ended the season on a winning streak.
The Blue Coats will be facing off against the Austin Spurs in a four vs. five seed matchup. On Feb. 21, the Blue Coats defeated the Spurs, 122-107 to extend their winning streak to seven at the time. Seven Blue Coats reached double figures scoring, which was paced by Michael Frazier II (24 pts) and Rayjon Tucker (23 pts).
This will be the first playoff game in franchise history for the Blue Coats. Tip-off is slated for 8:15 p.m. Monday night and can be caught on national TV. Monday night’s game can be seen nationally on ESPNews and heard on Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM.
Future Sixers to Watch
Paul Reed
The final pick of Daryl Morey’s first draft as a Sixers’ executive has been on an absolute tear in the bubble. B-Ball Paul was seen as one of the lesser polished players in the rookie class. He was projected to go early in the second round but found himself at pick #58. The reason for this is unknown, but the Sixers for sure found themselves with a gift that late in the draft.
There’s a lot for him to work on still, but Coach Connor Johnson has been developing him nicely. After seeing the improvements of Shake Milton and Marial Shayok last season, it’s no secret that Coach Johnson and his staff have the tools to develop Reed into a serious NBA player one day.
During the bubble, Reed ended the season with seven straight double-doubles, bringing his total to 12 on the season. While playing in all 15 games, Reed averaged 22.3 points and nearly 12 boards in 31.5 minutes. He was a highlight reel night in and night out for Delaware.
Sixers’ Guard Isaiah Joe
Sixers’ fans are all familiar with the sharpshooting guard out of Arkansas. Isaiah Joe was getting some playing time with the Sixers. The rookie’s shot has translated to the NBA, averaging 38.3% from three on three attempts per game.
He was designated to the Blue Coats for their final handful of games, where he played a large role. The youngster averaged over 34 minutes a game, totaling 8.5 points. Joe is still getting adjusted to the Blue Coats’ style of play and building chemistry, but he will serve as a major contributor during the playoffs.
Rayjon Tucker
One name that many fans may not be the most familiar with is Rayjon Tucker. Tucker signed with the Blue Coats on a two-way contract toward the end of January, and has served as an asset ever since.
Per the Blue Coats PR team, the 23-year-old Charlotte native finished his college career at UA Little Rock in 2018-19 after transferring from Florida Gulf Coast. In 30 games (all starts) with Little Rock, Tucker averaged 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 36.6 minutes per contest. He was named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team.
With the Blue Coats, Tucker has been just as big of a help as Paul Reed, but with less recognition. The guard has played in all 15 games, averaging just under 20 points a game in 33 minutes. Tucker could see his number called up to the Sixers as a really deep bench role as soon as Delaware’s playoff run is over.
Mandatory Photo Credit: Alex McIntyre
