Jaylen Brown scores 22 points, Ariel Hukporti injured in Sixers’ preseason win vs. Knicks

The 76ers did not exactly provide a preview of their revamped roster in Monday’s preseason opener, with legendary newcomer LeBron James and fellow stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid all sitting out. The New York Knicks, meanwhile, rolled out their entire starting lineup that won an NBA championship less than four months ago.

Still, Jaylen Brown demonstrated his ability as a bucket-getter with his new team in the Sixers’ 120-97 exhibition win at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Young guards VJ Edgecombe and Labaron Philon Jr. were the primary ballhandlers. And the Sixers’ center situation was dealt an injury blow less than six minutes into the night.

These Eastern Conference rivals — who both view themselves as title contenders — will face off for real on opening night Oct. 20 at Madison Square Garden.

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Brown unsurprisingly was the Sixers’ top offensive option, and delivered. He scored 13 of his 22 points in the first quarter while primarily being guarded by stout defenders OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.

Those buckets included a contested baseline jumper against Anunoby, a follow of his own miss inside for an old-fashioned three-point play, and a pullup jumper from Edgecombe. He went 5-of-8 from the floor and added two rebounds and one assist in the opening quarter, and received a noticeable ovation from the crowd when he checked out.

“I was more impressed with his offensive creation, right?” coach Nick Nurse said of Brown’s game. “Not only his own shot, but just his ability to kind of come down and be in the paint. You better send some help, or he’s going to be finishing. I think that he also had a couple nice kickouts and stuff. …

“[He is] what I would call a methodical driver. He does it a little bit more with balance and strength than he does with maybe quickness. He usually, again breaks through the gap, and now he’s heading toward the rim.”

It was the latest step in Brown’s acclimation to playing for his former rival, after being shockingly traded from the Boston Celtics to the Sixers on July 1.

Sixers guard Jaylen Brown drives to the basket against Knicks forward OG Anunoby and center Karl-Anthony Towns in the first quarter.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Just before the halftime buzzer, Edgecombe spun and dished to Caleb Love in the corner for a three-pointer that went splash.

That was indicative of Edgecombe’s playmaking night as the lead ballhandler with Maxey sitting out. Edgecombe finished with seven assists to go along with 12 points and four rebounds in 20 minutes, a balanced line that the Sixers are counting on to complement their established stars when the real games begin.

“Me being aggressive helped with other players getting shots,” Edgecombe said, “because I was able to just get in the paint and make a play for someone else. That’s what I always want to do. I always want to make play for someone else.”

The second-year guard also flashed his high-flying athleticism when he dribbled into the paint and got past multiple defenders for a two-handed dunk.

Edgecombe also spent time sharing the backcourt with Philon, the rookie whom the Sixers were delighted slipped to them at No. 22 in the NBA draft and has impressed during camp. Philon struggled with his shot (2-of-9 for 6 points) but was the primary point guard in the second half and finished with 4 assists in 25 minutes. His crafty ballhandling got him all the way to the bucket on two third-quarter possessions, and another nifty dribble move drew “oohs” from the crowd before he missed a floater.

New reserve guard Anfernee Simons, a dangerous three-point shooter, also missed Monday’s game with muscle tightness.

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It is possible the Sixers’ frontcourt depth has already taken a serious hit, after newcomer center Ariel Hukporti went down with a right Achilles injury in the opening minutes of Monday’s game. Nurse said Hukporti will undergo imaging on Tuesday.

“I just saw him for a little bit during the game,” Nurse said. “Gave him a big hug. He’s been a joy to coach in the short time he’s been here. Really a good dude. So, we’ll just hope for the best.”

After going down on a defensive possession, Hukporti sat stunned while grabbing his lower leg/foot area in front of the Knicks’ bench. The big man’s state naturally concerned both teams, as Hukporti spent his first two NBA seasons with the Knicks. New York All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns was who initially helped Hukporti off the floor.

Hukporti, who had started Monday in place of Embiid, briefly emerged from the locker room in street clothes about midway through the second quarter, but was still being assisted by a staff member or crutches while walking.

Before the injury, Hukporti dropped a nice bounce pass to Dean Wade for a layup but air-balled a corner three-pointer.

Hukporti, who signed with the Sixers as a free agent, entered the night with a prime opportunity. Adem Bona, the Sixers’ primary backup center last season, missed the game with a foot injury sustained while playing for the Turkish national team over the summer. Dominick Barlow, a small-ball option at the position, also was sidelined for Monday’s game with a back issue.

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Nurse had praised Hukporti during training camp for his size and athleticism, and Knicks coach Mike Brown also commended the team’s former big man during his pregame news conference. Hukporti said following a practice last week that he hoped to showcase more of his offensive game as a Sixer, and that going up against Embiid in practice was making him a better defender.

When Hukporti went down, Jabari Walker (11 points, 11 rebounds) entered the game and was energetic and productive from beyond the arc (3-of-5). Wade (2 points, 5 rebounds), who is expected to be a key wing defender, also played some center in the first half.