logo
3 observations after summer Sixers drop to 0-2 without Edgecombe

3 observations after summer Sixers drop to 0-2 without Edgecombe

Yahoo08-07-2025
3 observations after summer Sixers drop to 0-2 without Edgecombe originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The 2025 summer Sixers remain in search of their first victory.
They dropped to 0-2 on Monday night, falling to an 89-78 loss to the Thunder.
Advertisement
VJ Edgecombe sat out with a thumb contusion and is day to day, per The Athletic's Tony Jones.
The Sixers' top scorers were Judah Mintz (21 points on 7-for-12 shooting) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (17 points on 6-for-10 shooting).
The team's final game in Utah before heading to the Las Vegas summer league will Tuesday night vs. the Grizzlies. Here are observations on the Sixers' loss to OKC:
Hood-Schifino starts hot
The Sixers started Mintz, Hood-Schifino, Justin Edwards, Johni Broome and Adem Bona.
Hood-Schifino had a much stronger, more self-assured start than in the Sixers' loss Saturday to the Jazz. The 22-year-old guard made his first three shots, including a confident top-of-the-key three-pointer.
Though Hood-Schifino's overall shooting numbers were subpar in his 13-game Sixers stint last year — 37.1 percent from the floor, 30.4 percent from three-point range — he did have a couple of nights that hinted at potential to handle the ball and knock down pull-up jumpers in the NBA.
Advertisement
In terms of passing, Hood-Schifino's decision-making was uneven. He threw a couple of cross-court passes into trouble and wound up with two assists and six turnovers.
Hood-Schifino's backcourt mate had a nice night, too. Mintz again hustled defensively, drew fouls savvily and got to his spots in the mid-range.
Broome's final stat line wasn't sparkling — six points on 2-for-7 shooting, four rebounds, two steals — but his outside shooting was a positive for the Sixers. The lefty big man canned an early corner three and is 4 for 9 beyond the arc so far this summer.
Edwards not on his A-game yet
While he's already established himself as a rotation-quality NBA player, Edwards has not yet shined at summer league.
Advertisement
As was the case Saturday, Edwards had a cold, somewhat shaky start offensively. He posted 11 points on 3-for-11 shooting, six rebounds, five assists and five turnovers.
Of course, there's no need for concern with Edwards. It's been two games and he may very well be the kind of player who's much better with greater talent and structure around him.
Fouls aplenty
There were tons of fouls and missed jump shots on both sides. Smooth offense was sparse and overzealous defense was everywhere you looked.
OKC shot 32 for 38 at the foul line in the 40-minute game. The Sixers went 23 for 34.
Bona's been whistled for 14 fouls over the Sixers' first two summer games. Jalen Slawson picked up six fouls Monday in 18 minutes off the bench.
Advertisement
After missing the Sixers' summer league opener with an ankle sprain, rookie Hunter Sallis played on the second unit and had three points and three rebounds in 16 minutes. All of his points came on free throws.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Shaikin: Home again? Why Kenley Jansen could be a good trade match for Dodgers
Shaikin: Home again? Why Kenley Jansen could be a good trade match for Dodgers

Yahoo

time2 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Shaikin: Home again? Why Kenley Jansen could be a good trade match for Dodgers

Kenley Jansen signed his first professional contract with the Dodgers 21 years ago. He was Clayton Kershaw's catcher in rookie ball. He has been honored as an All-Star four times. He has saved more games than all but three men in major league history, all of them Hall of Famers. He won a World Series with the Dodgers. For all that Jansen has accomplished in his two decades in pro ball, there is one thing he has not experienced: He never has been traded. That could happen in the coming days, with baseball's trade deadline next Thursday. As we talked about that possibility Friday at Angel Stadium, and about how the sport can be a cold business at times, he dropped 11 words that stood out. 'I thought,' he said, 'I would play my whole career with the Dodgers.' Maybe you can go home again. Read more: With trade deadline looming, Dodgers showcase revived offense in win over Boston The Dodgers are urgently shopping for right-handed relievers. In Anaheim, Jansen is enjoying a season that by some measures is his best since 2021, his last season with the Dodgers. First things first: Jansen did not sign with the Angels just to rack up saves. He is 36 saves shy of 500, a milestone reached only by Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. 'I came here with one goal in mind,' Jansen said, 'and the goal was to help this team turn around, to end that playoff drought. That's what I'm here for. 'If they move me, I'd definitely feel disappointed we didn't accomplish it.' But let's be real: The longest playoff drought in the majors is likely to hit 11 years. The Angels would have to pass six teams to sneak into the last wild-card spot in the American League playoffs. The Angels demoted their fifth starter this month. They have been running bullpen games because they had no one in their farm system ready to fill the vacancy. They only have two starters you could pencil into their 2026 rotation. They need pitching depth, and it would be organizational malpractice not to get some by trading their pending free agents, Jansen included. For the Angels, the optimal outcome would be a team desperate for a closer overpaying to get Jansen. However, such a team would be more likely to overpay for the marquee names on the market, including Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins, Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians and Felix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles, with a second tier led by David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers hate to overpay. Jansen has 17 saves and one blown save, with a 1.00 earned-run average in save situations and a 3.19 ERA overall. The latter is his lowest ERA since 2021. By ERA+, a statistic that accounts for league and ballpark factors, Jansen was at 131 entering play Friday — or 31% better than league average. The only Dodgers relievers with an ERA above 131+, entering play Friday: left-handers Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer. Dodgers relievers entered play Friday throwing 49.2% of the team's innings pitched; the highest percentage of any major league team. Vesia, Anthony Banda and the injured Tanner Scott rank among the top 20 in appearances. Ben Casparius, who earned his first major league save Friday, ranked second among major league relievers in innings pitched. In an ideal world, the Dodgers would enter the playoffs with four primary right-handed relievers: Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips. Phillips is out for the season. Treinen could return from the injured list next week, with Kopech possibly to follow next month and Graterol in September, but it is risky to count on injured players to return healthy and effective. In a major league career that started in 2010, Jansen never has been on the injured list because of an elbow or forearm issue, and his two stints for shoulder inflammation were brief. The Dodgers could drop Jansen into their mix of high-leverage right-handers. They would not want Jansen if he would want to be the unquestioned closer. He is getting the job done as a closer, and he is getting closer to 500 saves. But the Dodgers' analysts would probably take note of his career highs in exit velocity and hard-hit balls, and a .795 OPS against left-handers that compares unfavorably to his .601 career mark, and might want to spot him against a run of right-handers. Could be the sixth inning, could be the ninth. Read more: Beyond the bullpen, how aggressive will the Dodgers be at the MLB trade deadline? Whether it's the Dodgers or any other contending team, would Jansen consider a role outside the ninth inning? 'At that point, it's just about getting rings,' Jansen said. 'My goal is to win. You play for that, always. I understand there is a milestone I am close to. But, at the end of the day, it's what you play for. You play to win. You play to win a World Series. 'If I have to go throw the sixth, seventh, eighth, I would do it. I'm a professional. I would do what I do best, and that is pitch.' Jansen said he hasn't given up on this Angels team, or this Angels season. He would love to win in Anaheim. The Angels could help him do that: Trade him for another pitching piece that could help them next year, then sign Jansen again over the winter. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

NHRA Funny Car Driver Okay After Massive Explosion at Sonoma
NHRA Funny Car Driver Okay After Massive Explosion at Sonoma

Yahoo

time2 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

NHRA Funny Car Driver Okay After Massive Explosion at Sonoma

NHRA driver Dan Wilkerson, amazingly, popped from his Funny Car with a smile on his face following a massive engine explosion during the evening qualifying session for the Denso Nationals at Northern California's Sonoma Raceway on Friday alongside Chad Green (the driver for whom he used to be crew chief), Wilkerson managed to stay out of Green's path, hitting the wall in his own he and his own father/crew chief Tim Wilkerson took the spectacular blow-up in stride. 'I didn't know where Chad was. I didn't know where I was. It was right in my face,' Dan Wilkerson said. "I've never been so happy to hit the wall in my entire frickin' life. The worst part is scaring everybody. I hate to scare my friends, the fans, my guys. And now we've got a bunch of work to do – that's the second part that sucks.'Tim Wilkerson said, 'It had some type of mechanical failure. We'll figure it out. Daniel's OK – that's what matters. We can put the parts back in it. We know the risks. We talk about it all the time. This is a dangerous car – there's no doubt about it. That's part of this racing, unfortunately. You're going to get that every once in awhile.'

Where does Sixers legend Moses Malone land on top 100 players list?
Where does Sixers legend Moses Malone land on top 100 players list?

USA Today

time4 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Where does Sixers legend Moses Malone land on top 100 players list?

Philadelphia 76ers legend Moses Malone is one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball. A rebounding machine, Malone averaged 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds--5.1 offensive rebounds--per game across his 12 years in the league. He played five seasons with the Sixers--across two separate stints--and averaged 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds with Philadelphia. He was a key member of the franchise's last title team in 1983 when he was named finals MVP as the Sixers knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 1982 finals. Malone averaged 25.8 points and 18.0 rebounds in the sweep of the Lakers. Bleacher Report ranked the top 100 players in the history of the NBA and Malone comes in ranked No. 21: The all-time leader in offensive rebounds (both total and per game), Malone dominated the glass throughout his career. Though not particularly skilled as a finisher or passer, all those boards produced plenty of second-chance opportunities and free throws, and Malone led the league in attempts from the foul line five times. His first two MVP awards came with the Houston Rockets in 1978-79 and 1981-82, and he followed that up with a third for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982-83, earning the distinction of being the only player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVPs for two different teams. In addition to those wins, Malone boarded his way to seven other top-10 finishes. His 'fo', fo', fo'' prediction in 1983 didn't quite come to fruition, as the Sixers swept just two of their three playoff series en route to a 12-1 postseason record that culminated in a championship. Malone's No. 2 jersey hangs from the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center as he is one of the best players in the franchise's history. He teamed up with Julius "Dr. J" Erving to give the Sixers a formidable duo on a nightly basis. Philadelphia leaned on him heavily to get the job done in a tough Eastern Conference.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store