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Winners and Losers From Sixers’ Preseason-Opening Victory Over Knicks

Jaylen Brown’s 22-point debut headlines the pros and cons of the Sixers’ 120-97 preseason-opening win against the Knicks on Monday night.
Jacob Moreno|
Oct 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown (7) battles for position against New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown (7) battles for position against New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers entered their preseason opener against the New York Knicks on Monday night without Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. But Jaylen Brown ensured fans got their money’s worth. He was nearly unguardable from everywhere on the court, evidenced by the oohs and ahs that occurred whenever he touched the ball

Brown only played the first half, but that’s all Philadelphia (1-0) needed to cruise past New York (0-1) 120-97. His 22 points offered a taste of the excitement the Sixers could evoke this season, which VJ Edgecombe amplified as well. Philadelphia, without eight players, didn’t wield a full deck, but it still dealt many takeaways worth mentioning.

Here are the winners and losers from tonight:

Winners

Brown: The 2024 Finals Most Valuable Player needed just 17 minutes to deliver 22 points on 8-13 shooting from the field and 3-5 shooting from deep. Brown’s three-level scoring and tough shot-making were on full display. New York double-teamed him in the second quarter to erase his rhythm, but it was unsuccessful; Brown created an open 3-pointer for Caleb Love. 

It came as little surprise that the five-time All-Star was the focal point of the short-handed Sixers’ offense. Even so, he converted a corner three, using off-ball screens in an out-of-bounds play. Brown won’t be the go-to scorer every game, so his developing better off-ball habits will be key come the regular season.

Edgecombe: While Edgecombe’s efficiency (4-9 from the field) wasn’t there, everything else was. He tallied 12 points, seven assists, and four rebounds, resting the second half. The sophomore impressed at the rim, showcasing improved body control and quick decision-making. The result? He had zero turnovers and went 3-5 from the free-throw line. 

The only knock on Edgecombe was him missing all three of his triples. When Philadelphia’s top-end talent plays, finding a stroke from beyond will be easier. Also, it’s just preseason.

Jabari Walker: The Sixers didn’t have a true center available after Ariel Hukporti suffered a right Achilles injury in the first quarter. Yet Walker rose to the occasion with 11 points on 3-5 shooting from downtown and 11 rebounds. He was effective out of pick-and-pops, a force off the glass, and was in the right spots defensively.

Caleb Love: No one took more advantage of Philadelphia’s depletion than Love, who posted 15 points on 59.3% true shooting, six assists, and two blocks. He created for himself and others while sinking shots off the catch, even if his 4-10 shooting from the field didn’t reflect it. This game won’t fetch Love a standard contract, but it was an intriguing start to his Sixers tenure.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: The 14-year veteran still has productivity left in the tank, with seven points on 3-6 shooting from the field. Most of his looks were uncharacteristically operating off ball screens and his point-of-attack defense was serviceable in 13 minutes of action. Caldwell-Pope will shrink to a 3-and-D role under normal circumstances, but he proved he has basketball left in him for spurts.

Losers

The center rotation: It’s essential to preface that Philadelphia’s center depth is the least important part of Hukporti’s injury. He went down five minutes into the game with what Nick Nurse described to the media as a right Achilles injury. Nurse said he will get imaging tomorrow, Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice reported.

Hukporti essentially joined Embiid, Bona, and Fall as Philadelphia’s centers who didn’t play. It remains to be seen when Bona will return from a left foot sprain and when Embiid will debut in the preseason. Fall is also dealing with a left hip strain that will keep him sidelined for at least another week.

Labaron Philon Jr.: Considering Philon had six points on 2-9 shooting from the field, putting him in the winner’s category feels silly. But he didn’t necessarily have a bad game either. Philon, despite the lack of points, looked the part of a rotational NBA player. He was unbothered by NBA-level speed or physicality; the shots simply didn’t fall. 

Fans theorized Philon would start tonight, but he came off the bench, seemingly to acclimate him to a bench role for the regular season.

Philadelphia can build on its thrilling start to the exhibition slate on Thursday, when it visits the Brooklyn Nets (0-0) at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Jacob Moreno
JACOB MORENO

Jacob Moreno is a Sports Media major at Temple University who aspires to become a 76ers beat writer. He previously contributed to The Sixer Sense and also covers Temple Athletics for The Temple News. He is a huge Marvel nerd and falls victim to expensive Lego sets.

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