76ers vs. Pelicans: Player Observations After Sixers' Regular Season Opener

The Philadelphia 76ers opened up the regular season on Wednesday night with a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road. As expected, the Sixers entered the game without their three-time All-Star point guard Ben Simmons in the mix.

On the eve of the opener, the disgruntled star's antics led to him getting kicked out of practice and suspended for Wednesday night's game. That led Sixers head coach Doc Rivers to rely on the second-year guard Tyrese Maxey.

Overall, Philly's starting lineup looked good as they were neck and neck through the first quarter with the Pelicans. Although the Sixers were outscored in the second quarter and went into halftime tied up at 53, the Sixers dominated New Orleans out of the gate in the third quarter.

After growing a comfortable lead, Doc Rivers treated the season opener like another preseason matchup as all but one starter got the entire fourth quarter off. Once the final quarter of the night wrapped up, the Sixers won their first game of the new year with a 117-97 victory over the Zion Williamson-less Pelicans.

The Sixers played fantastic overall. Now, we'll observe each player's performance.

The Starting Five

Danny Green

Not the hottest start to the season for the 34-year-old, who re-signed with the Sixers over the offseason. After collecting three fouls in his first nine minutes, Green found himself in a hole early on that he never climbed out of. In a little under 20 minutes of action, Green attempted just one shot. No worries -- Green's been here before.

Tobias Harris

The king of quietly good games is back for another solid run with the 76ers. After spending the preseason battling knee soreness, Harris looked good for a guy that was expected to be rusty. On Wednesday, he was the only Sixer to collect a double-double and achieved that stat line with 20 points and 12 rebounds in under 30 minutes of action. Not a bad start to the year for the All-Star hopeful.

Joel Embiid

76ers fans were holding their breath early on in the game as Embiid grabbed at his knee. They let out a sigh of relief as the big man collected 12 points in his first eight minutes of action. It wasn't a dominant performance, but it was an effortlessly good one as Embiid accounted for a team-high of 22 points. The best part about it? He got the night off early and didn't play in more than 26 minutes.

Seth Curry

Curry didn't get too many opportunities to let it fly, but he was nearly automatic when he did. In total, Curry attempted five shots, three of which came from beyond the arc. He missed one shot, and the rest didn't touch the rim. Playoff Curry didn't show his face on Wednesday night, but the sharpshooter is certainly still sharp.

Tyrese Maxey

No Ben Simmons? No problem. Maxey didn't come out and notch himself a triple-double with his playmaking, but he shot efficiently and took care of the ball. Knocking down eight of his 14 field goal attempts, Maxey put up 20 points. He also moved the rock well, collecting five assists, and turned the ball over just one time.

The Bench Unit

Furkan Korkmaz

Furkan is fearless. He's proven that many times -- for better -- or for worse. On Wednesday, Furkan's fearlessness bothered the Pelicans late in the game. Heading into the fourth quarter, Korkmaz had just four points in 11 minutes. He ended the game with 22 points in 20 minutes. It was quite the turnaround for the Turkish sharpshooter, who drained six of his eight shots for 18 points in the final quarter.

Georges Niang

Philadelphia's former backup power forward Mike Scott struggled a lot from three last season as he drained just 34-percent of his shots. Niang, his replacement this year, hit all but one of his four attempts from beyond the arc in his Sixers debut. There's a long season ahead, but that's a near-perfect start for Niang and the Sixers.

Isaiah Joe

Preseason Isaiah Joe was spectacular. So spectacular that the second-year guard earned himself a spot in the primary rotation. Now, his regular-season performances will have to prove he belongs to stay there. Unfortunately, the first test for Joe was a forgettable one. In a little under 13 minutes of action, Joe attempted three shots. None of which went in. To add salt to the wound, he also suffered a chin laceration. It wasn't serious, and he returned to the floor after getting checked out, but it was a rough night for sure.

Matisse Thybulle

The bronze medalist hit the court for the first time in nearly two weeks. Offensively, he was quiet, but as we've learned, his defense will always earn him notable minutes. Thybulle started the year off hot on that side of the ball with four steals and a blocked shot. He was a plus-15 for the night in 27 minutes.

Andre Drummond

After a strong preseason, Andre Drummond's real Sixers debut was much anticipated. Although his performance didn't generate the same type of hype as his preseason showings did, Drummond played his part in the victory over New Orleans. He collected six points on offense and came down with 15 of his 17 rebounds on defense while also blocking two shots.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

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