It was exciting at times, a bit sloppy at others. But it was basketball back on the Wells Fargo Center court.
The Sixers opened their preseason schedule with a 104-84 win over the National Basketball League's Melbourne United on Friday night.
Let's dive into some observations from the victory.
• It wasn't exactly a grand moment to signal Markelle Fultz was back to the player Sixers fans expected when he went No. 1 overall, but you have to be happy with his burst to finish the third quarter.
Fultz was fouled on a drive with 1:24 remaining in the period before he stepped to the free throw line and splashed a perfect pair. He followed that up on the ensuing possession by draining a 17-footer.
S P L A S H
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📺: @NBCSPhilly+ pic.twitter.com/EOhlVRuqXb— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 29, 2018
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Then came a no-look pass to Mike Muscala for a dunk. A missed 15-footer from Fultz capped the sequence, but even that was a reason to feel good simply because of the solid form and confidence to attempt the shot.
Fultz finished the night with 14 points on 6 of 11 shooting. He also added four assists, two steals and one huge hurdle out of the way.
Oh, and there was this play too.
🗣 GIMME THAT pic.twitter.com/VL91ZmeZBG— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 29, 2018
• There's something to be said for roster continuity. The players have a certain feel for each other and know their tendencies.
That's especially the case when you're an elite passing team like the Sixers.
The team ranked second in assists last season and picked up right where it left off Friday night. The Sixers had 28 assists on 44 baskets.
Ben Simmons led the way with 14 dimes in the win.
• While all of the helpers were pleasant sight for the Sixers, the level of turnovers certainly was not.
Turnovers were a crippling problem for the squad at times a season ago. And while no one wants to rush to judgment based on one preseason game, there is surely a reason to be concerned.
The Sixers committed 18 turnovers against Melbourne United, above their league-worst 16.5 from 2017-18.
The miscues were particularly troubling for Embiid (20 points, 13 boards), who had three with each one coming out of a double-team. One of the big man's main focuses during the summer was working on his ball security after committing 3.7 a night last season.
"We've been working a lot on handles and taking care of the ball," Embiid said this week. "Sometimes that's my downfall, so I've got to fix that."
• With plenty of Australian connections between the two opponents (see story), Melbourne United and NBL owner Larry Kestelman had plenty to be proud about on Friday. That was on full display when he gushed about reigning Rookie of the Year and Australian native Ben Simmons (eight points, eight rebounds, 14 assists).
"He is huge," Kestelman said of Simmons' following in Australia. "We love him. He's our pride and joy. He's a Melbourne boy."
• The Sixers came out of the game relatively unscathed. Wilson Chandler suffered a left hamstring and did not return.
The team gets back in action on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center against the Orlando Magic (7 p.m./NBCSP).
