76ers Won't Read Too Much Into Results vs. Celtics
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics will tip off their 2022-2023 campaign with a matchup at TD Garden.
To say the Sixers are facing a tough test at the beginning of the year would be an understatement. Following their primetime matchup against the Celtics, the Sixers will head home and take on the Milwaukee Bucks for their first game of the year at the Wells Fargo Center.
Considering the Sixers will face the Eastern Conference’s second and third seeds from last season, the first two games are viewed as a test for outsiders looking in. However, the Sixers’ coaching staff and players can’t quite read too much into those matchups.
“If we win both, it just says we won these two early, and we were ready for that,” said Sixers head coach Doc Rivers. “If you split and don’t [win both], it just tells you [you have to get better]."
With 82 games ahead, and several opportunities to face teams like the Celtics and the Bucks, the Sixers are more focused on themselves and how they run as a unit rather than how they match up against their conference contenders early.
“It’s about understanding what we need to do and what we’re trying to accomplish running our game plans,” said Sixers reserve De’Anthony Melton. “Listen to what we got to do out there, just continuing to fight and continuing to move on.”
The first two games won’t tell the 76ers if they need to improve or not. Rivers instead sees it as an opportunity to see exactly where they need to improve since the need for development is inevitable.
“We gotta get better either way anyway,” Rivers finished. “We know that. Not only just the players, us too. We have to make sure we figure out the right rotations and the right amount of minutes for guys and at what minute point do they go, which guy. We don’t know any of that yet, so a lot for us to figure out.”
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
