Sore shoulder sidelines Fultz against Celtics
Irving leads Celts to win
PHILADELPHIA » With the roster numbers high and the value of the results low, Brett Brown had already planned to give each of his 76ers at least one game off during the preseason. He just wasn’t expecting Markelle Fultz’s turn to come as soon as Exhibition Game No. 2.
Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in the last draft, was scratched from the Sixers’ exhibition game Friday against the visiting Boston Celtics. The medical report indicated right shoulder soreness.
Fultz played 23 minutes in his first game, a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday, shooting 2-for13, including 0-for-3 from the arc, with three assists and a turnover. He did not practice Thursday.
Fultz, as per the NBA policy of shielding scratched players from interviews, was not available for comment. Brown, though, said the move was precautionary.
“It is,” he said. “It’s not anything we expect to linger. It’s something we want to get on top of. My intention for most of the guys is to give them probably one game off. I generally don’t look at it that way, necessarily, with rookies. But in general you’re going to see that J.J. (Redick) is not going to play in Boston (Monday). I think Robert (Covington) has a chance not to
Kyrie Irving scored 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting as Boston beat the Sixers 110-102 at the Wells Fargo Center. Irving also had three assists in just under 25 minutes. Terry Rozier scored 13 points and Aron Baynes added 12 for the Celtics.
Jerryd Bayless scored 15 points and J.J. Redick added 12 for the 76ers. BOSTON » New addition Gordon Hayward scored nine points on 4-for-9 shooting . ... Al Horford scored just seven points, but he had nine rebounds and two blocks in 19 minutes . ... Marcus Smart scored 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting. SIXERS » Ben Simmons did a little of everything. He finished with eight points, five assists and three rebounds in just under 23 minutes. UP NEXT » The 76ers (02) and the Celtics (2-0) square off again Monday in Boston.
play in Boston. And everybody will be handled with that type of spirit.
“If tonight is to be Markelle’s, then so be it. We hope to see him in
*** Fultz was replaced in the starting lineup by Jerryd Bayless.
Bayless, a veteran, can play either guard position, but is being pushed to the perimeter by the Sixers’ crowd at point guard. Friday, he was pleased to be starting.
“Yeah,” he said. “It’s preseason. I’m sure they are going to experiment a lot. So it will be fun.”
With Ben Simmons, Fultz and T.J. McConnell in the point guard mix, Brown envisions Bayless as an instant-offense off-guard. Bayless politely brushed off any questions about his backcourt preference, but is anxious to play with Simmons.
“Ben is a good player,” Bayless said. “He’s a young player and he’s coming along. You can see the potential in him. He has to keep working hard and we Boston.” will be really good.”
Simmons and Bayless shared the starting lineup with Amir Johnson, Covington and Redick.
*** Johnson, the 13th-year veteran, signed with the Sixers as a free agent after playing the last two seasons with the Celtics.
“Amir always has a great positivity about him,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said. “Amir was the guy who walked on the plane with a smile on his face and made sure that he spoke to everybody and patted everybody on the back, coaches, players, everybody, regardless if you won or loss. That attitude and that positivity are really important throughout the 82-game season.”
It was during a meeting with University of Connecticut women’s coach Geno Auriemma at a recent Celtics practice that Stevens was reminded of the value of positive response and losses.
“We lost 29 games last year and had a good year,” Stevens said. “But we still lost 29 games. Coach Auriemma hasn’t lost 29 games in 20 years. So you’re going to need guys that will not ride the emotional roller coaster in this league. And he does a great job with that.”
Brown has characterized the competition for backup center minutes as a “fist fight” between Johnson and Richaun Holmes. Holmes started Game 1, playing 17 minutes, scoring six points and blocking three shots.
“Just trying things in the preseason,” Brown said. “I think all of us shouldn’t read too much into anything right now. We’ll use this opportunity to see things.” to victories *** Joel Embiid (knee), Dario Saric (rest) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (knee) were scratched along with Fultz Friday. Covington (right knee soreness), Johnson (sprained right ankle) and James Michael McAdoo were on the pregame injury report but were available to play.
Embiid was cleared for full 5-on-5 basketball and practiced Thursday. According to Brown, he recovered nicely.
“He felt good,” Brown said. “We went four-by-fourminute scrimmages and he was in most of them. Toward the end, he got a little fatigued. But he pulled up the following day well.”
Embiid was limited to 31 games last season, when he injured his left knee, requiring surgery. And, yes, Brown has a number of games in mind that he’d like to see his center play this season.
“I’d love it,” the head coach said, twinkle in his eye, tongue in his cheek, “if he could get to 82.”