The king's court: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown set to make Sixers home debuts

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Good morning folks!

There are two things I do as soon as I wake up in the morning.

First, I hit the snooze button on my alarm. Need those extra 10 minutes to lay there and think about how I can rewind time a few hours so I can go back to sleep.

Second, I accept that I’m not going to figure out time travel that morning, and I open the 97.5 The Fanatic app on my phone to tune into Marks and Salciunas. I’m not a huge sports radio guy anymore, but I like those dudes.

My intention was a little different on Wednesday morning.

I was sure that the Sixers’ win over the New York Knicks on opening night would be a topic, but I wanted to gauge just how much weight that had.

Would the saga that is Jalen Hurts’ blood clots lead the conversation? Or would that take a back seat to some passionate basketball talk?

Predictably, the fellas were all excited about the basketball team. Sure, some Eagles talk mixed in. But they were reliving the Sixers’ triumph.

The Sixers won’t make everyone believers in one night. But you’ll have no choice but to buy in if they keep compiling top-of-résumé wins. To do what they did to a team that returned almost its entire rotation from last season’s championship—with a surprising defensive masterpiece and despite a rather rough night of shooting—was the first step in turning skeptics into believers.

I’m not sure they can play a much better defensive game than the one they played on Tuesday. The offense can be a whole lot better. And, here’s the thing, if you’re to depend on the pulse of the national crowd, then you must think the Sixers won’t face too many challenges bigger than the one they faced on Tuesday.

The Knicks, after all, seem to be the popular pick to repeat as Eastern Conference champions.

I, personally, felt my concerns play out as the Knicks got the full Andre Drummond experience in one night. Mitchell Robinson ain’t walking through that door.

But if I’m to abide by the logic that the general public employs, the Cleveland Cavaliers should be a much easier challenge. A challenge, nonetheless, but an easier one.

Still, the rest of Philadelphia’s week includes the Cavs and a weekend back-to-back that ends with the Detroit Pistons. That’s no slouch of a first week, even if the Milwaukee Bucks coming to town on Saturday night softens the blow a bit.

A Sixers win on Thursday would qualify as another impressive win. And if they do that, there’s a real chance they open the season 4-0 despite a rather tough schedule.

Against your better judgment, you’ll be bought all the way back in. Don’t fight it. Enjoy the ride.

But, first things first.

I don’t have much to say about the Cavaliers, mostly because I’ve seen their song and dance too many times. The Sixers will have their work cut out for them inside, especially if Jarrett Allen is available to accompany Evan Mobley on defense. Between his shooting range and athletic wiggle, Donovan Mitchell is always a tough cover. Peyton Watson is an interesting add to solidify the wings next to Jaylon Tyson.

And then, of course, there’s James Harden.

But that also means that there’s James Harden.

37-year-old James Harden can giveth and taketh away with the best of ‘em. Eleven threes? Possible. 2-for-11 shooting with seven turnovers? Also possible! You never know.

I’ll tell you what I do know: If he’s ever going to win Defensive Player of the Year, it will be in another league far, far away from the NBA.

The Sixers did a very good job of patiently finding the mismatch and promptly stuffing that guy in a locker on Tuesday. There was no hiding Jalen Brunson or Landry Shamet, although the Knicks didn’t have to have them on the floor at the same time.

This one is a little simpler.

The Sixers can hunt either of Harden and Mitchell. Take your pick. They’ll be on the floor together often. And when it’s one or the other, the Sixers already have a blueprint for making that guy defend.

In some ways, you might see the downside of having this much star power in this particular matchup. If there are multiple mismatches to hunt, does someone get an uneven number of touches? Does it become less clear who should get the ball?

If you win the game, it doesn’t matter.

There is some upset potential coming off the high of the win in New York.

But you know what else will give the Sixers a high?

Hearing 20,000 people lose their minds when LeBron James is introduced for his home debut.

Could the Cavaliers be down a starter?

Meanwhile, the Sixers may get a little healthier.