Fultz providing a shot of confidence

Between clumsy exhibition games in October and his goal of coaching in the NBA Finals in June, Brett Brown hopes to complete a checklist of wishes.

Two games into the preseason, including a 120-114 victory Monday over the Orlando Magic, he has one out of the way: Markelle Fultz has shown a willingness to take mid-range jumpers and three-point shots.

Later, Brown and the Sixers can increase their demand for those shots to be made at a high percentage. But for the moment, they’ll put a cap on any complaints.

“That’s it,” Brown said. “That is the thing I have been most pleased with. There has been zero hesitance. He may not have made all his shots, but he sure did not back away from any of them.”

Fultz, the second-year combo guard and the top pick in the 2017 draft, played 24:27 Monday and shot 5-for-12, including 1-for-4 from distance. As the Sixers have gone 2-0 in exhibition games, he has taken a total of 23 shots.

Starting in the backcourt with Ben Simmons Monday, and later taking some shifts at the point, Fultz scored 12 points, was 1-for-2 from the line. At times, he looked uncomfortable with the ball, but he was charged with just two turnovers.

Though Joel Embiid’s 21

points made the difference early, and Furkan Korkmaz’s 18 spiced the late, understudy portion of the show, Fultz’s willingness to uncork shots inspired the bulk of the Wells Fargo Center buzz.

“It’s just shots I’ve been

working on all summer,” Fultz said. “I had confidence coming into the game. I was fine if I had to take it. And that’s what I did in the game.”

A mysterious shoulder injury limited Fultz to 14 games as a rookie and caused his shots, both from the floor and the line, to appear painful. But he was said to have taken 150,000 shots in the offseason, and he has

not been hesitant to continue the trend in the preseason.

“I put a lot of work in in the summer, just to be comfortable shooting the threes, shooting my shots, and just being confident in the shots I want to take,” he said. “I feel comfortable taking those shots, and when I had the opportunity, I took them.” ••• Ben Simmons was hit in

the right eye in the first half, requiring three stitches. He returned to the game. He played mostly at the point, but did not complain when he was shifted to the four spot.

“I am able to dunk the ball,” he said. “And not many guys are able to stop me once I do that.” ••• The Sixers will play the Dallas Mavericks Friday and

Monday in China. Brown remembers making at least 20 trips there during his years coaching Australia in international play.

“When you get over there and feel China basketball, you feel the passion and interest,” he said. “When we feel the reaction they will have to Joel and Ben, you’ll realize it is a global sport.”

The Sixers will open the regular season Oct. 16 in

Boston, and will return for their home opener Oct. 18 against Chicago. ••• Still recovering from a hamstring injury, Wilson Chandler will not make the China trip. His teammates shouldn’t worry about sending him postcards.

Chandler played professionally in China for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in 2011-2012.