National Basketball Association

5 Things We Learned From Philadelphia 76ers Loss vs Oklahoma City Thunder

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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5 Things Philadelphia 76ers Learned From Loss to Oklahoma City Thunder

Wow, what a night to be a Philadelphia 76ers fan.

The Philadelphia 76ers future looks to be very promising if the opening night was any indication. There were five main takeaways from the game. I can’t wait to share them with you so let’s get to it.

The Philadelphia 76ers are going to be competitive this year

I’ll be completely honest with you guys. After losing Ben Simmons, and seeing all the injuries that hit the Sixers this off season, I was a bit skeptical that they would be able to meet their lofty expectations. While watching the game last night though, it helped ease my concerns.

With Sergio Rodriguez creating shots for everyone else and Joel Embiid just embarrassing defenders (more on that in a bit), the Philadelphia 76ers are going to be just fine. The Philadelphia 76ers were more competitive than their records showed last season as 13 of their losses were decided by five points or less. This season, I expect to see many more close games in the Sixers future which will result in more winning opportunities much like last night.

The controlled the game nearly all 48 minutes and even held a six point lead heading into the fourth quarter. They shot better from the field than OKC which is something they failed to do many times last season. Something they have also improved this season is at protecting the rim. This was expected with Joel Embiid in the lineup but Richaun Holmes made a big impact as well. The Sixers did have the third most blocks in the NBA last season but they struggled to truly protect the rim as opposing big men gashed them. The key is being able to finish games and get those W’s in the win column. One step at a time though, and the Sixers are moving in the right direction.

Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) tip off to start the game at Wells Fargo Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Sixers will protect the rim this season

Having Joel Embiid on the floor immediately boosts our defensive presence. His 7’6 wingspan and tenacious defense is a hazard for opposing teams, night in and night out. He is a skilled defender with great footwork and excellent shot blocking ability.

It is not just his shot blocking ability that helps the Sixers though. Embiid’s presence alone makes players think twice before attacking the rim. What is even better, is that he causes players to alter their shots to avoid getting blocked which ultimately leads to a poor percentage shot.

For example, last night after sinking his first career basket, Embiid came out of nowhere to swat Russell Westbrook’s layup on the other end. Something worth noting is that from that point on, Westbrook did not attack the rim while Embiid was on the floor. If he did, he altered his shot to avoid getting blocked again. Little things like that are going to make a big difference this season.

Joel Embiid isn’t the only big man defending the rim though. Nerlens Noel will be returning within a few weeks and he has always been a defensive specialist. Jahlil Okafor doesn’t provide much on the defensive end but he makes up for it with his scoring ability. Aside from them, Richaun Holmes played 12 meaningful minutes in last night’s loss and looked really good. He had three blocked shots and two of them were back to back on Victor Olidapo that certainly got the crowd going.

It will be interesting to see if the Sixers find a way to get Holmes minutes once Noel returns and all minute restrictions have been lifted. Either way, the Sixers have loads of defensive talent at the Center position. They ranked dead last in DVOA vs the Center position last season which should greatly improve this year.

Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) dribbles past the steal attempt of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Sergio Rodriguez is the Sixers best Point Guard

This one is bittersweet for me. As many of you know, I am a huge T.J. McConnell fan and thought that he would have a chance to be the breakout point guard that the Sixers desperately need. After last night, the battle is put to rest – for now anyway. The Sixers best point guard is clearly Sergio Rodriguez.

Sergio Rodriguez, lovingly known as “El Chacho”, had the crowd roaring for him. Whether it was from his flashy passes or deadly three point shooting, Rodriguez played extremely well. He may have been the most surprising of all Sixers players. A team can be lost without a point guard but Rodriguez was in command all 32 minutes that he was on the floor.

He ran the pick and roll flawlessly and was setting up Sixers big men left and right. El Chacho finished the night with an efficient line of 12 points, nine assists and four rebounds. He even showed off his range knocking down two 3-point shots including a deep one at the end of the shot clock.

What makes Sergio so important for the Sixers is that he is not afraid to shoot the ball and will knock it down if defenses lay off him. T.J. McConnell, on the other hand, didn’t even attempt a shot in his 19 minutes on the floor. We’ve been saying this all off-season, McConnell has to start looking to shoot more if he wants to remain a key part of the Sixers rotation. He has always been able to set up his teammates for good looks but you have to look to score when given the opportunity. That is what Sergio excels at. He doesn’t look to score first but he takes what the defense gives him and that was evident last night. If he continues to play at this high level, Jerryd Bayless will not be starting when he returns from injury.

Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A Philadelphia 76ers cheerleader performs during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Sixers now have a home-court advantage

I remember going to Philadelphia 76ers games years ago. Every time I went (post Allen Iverson era), the mood was the same. The atmosphere was dead and there were probably more empty seats than filled. You could basically seat wherever you wanted regardless of what ticket you bought because nobody cared. The team was bad. Even in games that stayed close, the crowd was so quiet, you could even hear players talking on the court at times.

That is now a thing of the past and things are looking very bright for the future of the Sixers organization. From the moment the Sixers tipped off against the Thunder, you can feel the energy in the building. When Joel Embiid hit the Dream Shake and knocked down his first jumper, the crowd erupted. When Sergio threw an alley-oop to Gerald Henderson, the place went nuts. Moments like that made you feel that the Philadelphia 76ers are back and are ready to compete again.

The fans were in it from the very beginning through the entire game. I haven’t seen anything like that for the Philadelphia 76ers since the Allen Iverson days. The crowd was getting loud and that does play a factor for opposing teams. It was a great sign to see that the city of Philadelphia is once again rallying behind their basketball team. The team would benefit greatly if the fans could cheer like that all season long – minus the guy flipping Westbrook the birds.

But seriously, the Sixers could have something they haven’t had in years in a home court advantage. The important thing is if the fans will continue to show that type of support if the season goes south. They may have to cross that road if they get there but until then, Sixers should enjoy their home court advantage.

Dec 15, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (left) talks with general manager and president Sam Hinkie (right) before a game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

#TrustTheProcess

I think we can all agree that the most exciting thing about the Sixers debut was being able to see Joel Embiid finally make his highly anticipated debut. After all the talk about how great Joel Embiid’s potential is, Sixers fans can now breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that it was not just hype. Embiid displayed a full arsenal of offensive moves and was clearly enjoying himself on the floor.

He showed off his impressive range when he drilled a 3-pointer after knocking down multiple mid range jumpers as well. His footwork was superb and had Steven Adams dancing at times in the paint. After some nifty footwork in which Embiid drew the fould on Adams, he marched to the free throw line shaking his head saying, “He can’t guard me. He can’t guard me.”

The crowd was loving Embiid’s electric attitude as they started cheering “MVP” and “Trust the Process” multiple times during the game. Embiid put in a full line even with the minutes restriction keeping him to just 22 minutes. He finished the game with 20 points on six of 16 shooting and added seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Along with his great footwork, he displayed exceptional ball handling ability for a man his size. If he continues to improve and perfect his game, Joel Embiid is going to be a scary force for the rest of the NBA.

The key for the Sixers is keeping their main attraction and centerpiece healthy all year long. Embiid took a hard spill on a fast break, causing concern to both head coach Brett Brown and his teammates. T.J. McConnell even rushed over to make sure he was okay saying, “Don’t get hurt.” Embiid hopped right up though and continued to play great in his debut. If this game was any indication of the future, the Philadelphia 76ers are in good hands.