The Philadelphia 76ers made their way to Cleveland to face off against Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers in the team’s third preseason game. Convincingly, the Sixers dominated the Cavaliers 113-97
Tyrese Maxey was once again a revelation; Matisse Thybulle showed that he’s fearless this season when it comes to his shot, and it seems that the Sixers may have already decided who their final roster cut will be.
Tyrese Maxey will be among the league’s best shooters
That is now three straight preseason games that Tyrese Maxey has made a statement. After scoring 20 points in just 14 minutes in his first outing, and 21 points in 15 minutes in his second, Maxey added another 19 points in 25 minutes tonight.
What more can you say about Maxey that hasn’t already been said? Expectations are sky-high this season for the Sixers’ sensation.
What’s on the horizon? An All-Star appearance? A three-point contest crown? Who’s to say? Anything appears to be possible at this point.
Matisse Thybulle is committed to taking shots
The constant critique for Matisse Thybulle has been his inability to shoot the ball. At times, he was unplayable for the Sixers during the playoffs last season due to both an inability and an unwillingness to shoot from beyond the three-point arc (28.6% on 1.6 attempts).
Thybulle has heard the narrative surrounding him and has made it a focal point for improvement this offseason. While the results are not yet consistent, tonight, he showed that he’s committed to shooting even after deflating misses.
After an airball that would leave most hesitant, Thybulle decided to keep shooting. And when he missed his next three, he continued to shoot, managing to sink his next three shots from deep.
Being willing to shoot is almost as important for Thybulle’s development as being able to shoot, so what he showed tonight is absolutely encouraging for the future.
Charles Bassey’s time may be up
As encouraging as Maxey and Thybulle’s performances were, there was one performance — or rather a lack thereof — that may have hinted at the Sixers’ future plans.
Despite both Joel Embiid and Montrezl Harrell missing the game, center Charles Bassey did not play a single minute. With no mention of injury or illness, it appears that Bassey may not be longed for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After waiving Trevelin Queen on Saturday, the Sixers were down to one necessary roster cut before the start of the regular season. Many wondered if it would be Isaiah Joe who would be the unlucky player or if there would be a consolidation trade.
While both of those moves are still on the table, things aren’t exactly looking good for Bassey in Philadelphia. On the bright side, at least the young center would likely have a market should he be cut.
