The Philadelphia 76ers host the Milwaukee Bucks in their third game of the season Saturday night.
After spoiling the Knicks' ring ceremony on opening night and mounting a huge comeback against the Cavaliers, the new-look Sixers will look to remain undefeated. The Bucks, who notably traded Giannis Antetokounmpo in the offseason, look to have their hands full after losing their first two games.
Who: Milwaukee Bucks (0-2) at Philadelphia 76ers (2-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia
Watch: NBA TV, NBC Sports Philadelphia, DirecTV
The excitement of the Sixers' opening-night win over the Knicks had faded by halftime against the Cavaliers. The team struggled to shoot, hold on to the ball and avoid fouling, falling behind by 24 points at the break.
The team that came out of the locker room did something Sixers fans haven't seen nearly enough of in recent years: make adjustments. The Sixers were aggressive on defense and relentless on offense, with players across the lineup delivering key moments in an impressive 114-106 victory over the Cavs.
With a team full of stars, it would be easy to get lost in the shuffle, yet here we are with VJ Edgecombe emerging as a leader at the start of his second season.
While many have wondered how the Sixers would distribute the ball among their stars, Edgecombe has quietly averaged 10 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 34 minutes per game. He hasn't shot particularly well, but his baskets have come at crucial moments, whether cutting to the basket or capitalizing on an offensive rebound. He's consistently found himself in the right spots.
Is that where he's shone the most? Not even close.
Whether it's Embiid committing an unnecessary foul, Maxey losing his cool or LeBron making an errant pass, Edgecombe has remained composed, encouraging his teammates to stay focused, pulling Maxey away from a confrontation and helping settle the team in the huddle.
In a small galaxy of stars, one of the most unlikely has shone the brightest for his team, and that could be a problem for the opposition going forward.
The Bucks are a team in transition after moving on from Giannis Antetokounmpo over the summer, sending him to the Heat in exchange for Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro, additional players and four draft picks.
Jaquez was the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award last season, while Herro arrives with a reputation as a star, though questions remain about his ability to lead a team. Beyond those two, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner and Ryan Rollins round out a roster that may struggle to compete with the league's top teams.
The Bucks arrive in Philadelphia on a quick turnaround after losing to the Bulls at home Friday night, 132-125.
One thing Milwaukee can do well is shoot the ball, something the Sixers have struggled with to start the season. If the Bucks hope to pull off an upset, they'll need to take advantage of their perimeter shooting.
With Herro and Jaquez on the court, the points can come in bunches, so Milwaukee will need strong performances from its starters to keep pace with Philadelphia.
After the Sixers beat the defending champions on opening night and mounted a huge comeback against the Cavaliers, the question is: Why would you watch anything other than the Sixers right now?
With Dean Wade and LeBron James both listed as questionable, the Sixers could find themselves relying on smaller lineups. Against the Bucks, that may not matter much, but one notable absence from the injury report is Joel Embiid, a welcome development given his injury history. With the Sixers playing back-to-back games this weekend, however, Embiid's availability remains worth monitoring.
If neither James nor Wade can play, especially against an opponent the Sixers should be favored to beat, Saturday could provide head coach Nick Nurse with his first opportunity to experiment with smaller lineups.
That could mean utilizing Jabari Walker, getting productive minutes from Adem Bona without foul trouble and, perhaps most importantly, giving Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope extended playing time to help them find a rhythm against NBA competition.
Another development to watch is the potential debut of Labaron Philon in a Sixers uniform. The first-round pick has yet to see a minute of regular-season action despite showing promising flashes in the preseason.
If the Sixers build a comfortable lead, Philon could get an opportunity to run the offense and show what he can do against NBA competition.
Sixers 115, Bucks 98
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