Daily News | Sixers’ early games against Eastern Conference’s top teams will serve as a barometer
No disrespect to Tyrese Maxey’s stellar play and the 76ers going undefeated in the preseason. But one could argue none of that counts in the grand scheme of things.
Five games are against opponents coming off postseason appearances — the Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors , and Bulls. Their other games are against the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers. Rivers has reason to feel that way, considering that the Sixers will still have 75 games remaining after this seven-game stretch.
The Celtics will be without coach Ime Udoka, who’s serving a season suspension for an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization. But Boston still boasts two of the league’s best young stars in All-NBA selection Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. And the Celtics have the reigning defensive player of the year in Marcus Smart.Meanwhile, the Bucks are led by two-time MVP and perennial All-NBA selection Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has averaged 23.9 points and 11.
The Sixers defeated the Raptors in six games in last season’s first round of the playoffs. But Toronto is healthier now than in that series, when starters Scottie Barnes, Fred VanVleet, and Gary Trent Jr. all missed time because of injuries and/or illness. Chicago is led by All-Star perimeter players DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. The Bulls also added former Sixers center Andre Drummond in free agency this summer to a team that finished 46-36 and made the playoffs last season.Like Rivers, Tucker downplayed the early tests, pointing out that perceptions and expectations can change.
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