The Philadelphia 76ers may be the top team in the Eastern Conference currently, but the franchise’s developmental affiliate — the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats — has already accomplished something the Sixers haven’t done in 20 years.
They have played in the Finals.
On Thursday, the Blue Coats fell short in their title bid against the Lakeland Magic, losing the G League championship game 97-78 at ESPN Wide World of Sports’ AdventHealth Arena in Orlando, Florida. And while the loss definitely stung, it failed to detract from what had been an incredible bubble run by Delaware.
Moreover, it signaled the imminent return of some of the Sixers’ most intriguing prospects. Namely, shooting guard Isaiah Joe, big man Paul Reed and noted slam dunk maestro Rayjon Tucker.
Sixers’ Trio Back in Philly
Shortly after the title game, Joe was officially recalled to the Sixers’ main roster. On Friday, Sports Illustrated’s Justin Grasso reported via Twitter that he had already been joined by Reed and Tucker — the team’s two-way signees — in Philadelphia.
Although they won’t be with the team in Washington DC to take on Russell Westbrook and the reanimated Wizards, the triumphant trio may have something to offer as the playoff race heats up.
For his part, Joe has already shown that he can compete at the NBA level.
When the team was decimated by contact tracing in January, the 21-year-old went from being Philly’s 15th man to shouldering a heavy load during a particularly wild five-game stretch. Over that span — and amid difficult circumstances — Joe averaged 12.4 points in just under 29 minutes per contest.
He also posted an effective field goal percentage of 58.2, as he hit nearly 44 percent of his three-point attempts.
In the Blue Coats’ first playoff game, he knocked down seven triples en route to scoring a game-high 28 points. He also added four rebounds, three assists and a steal during his 34 minutes of play.
B-Ball Paul For MVP?
Reed’s run with the Sixers to date has been far less substantive than that of Joe. So far this season, he has played a grand total of 55 minutes for the club over five appearances. In that span, he averaged just 3.6 points per contest and connected on less than 41 percent of his field goal attempts.
However, he was arguably the best player in the G League bubble.
Starting in all 15 regular-season games for the Blue Coats, Reed averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and nearly two blocks and two steals per contest. The latter numbers loom large — at 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds, Reed has the potential to guard multiple positions on the floor and be a disruptor defensively.
Meanwhile, his improving ability to shoot the ball from multiple locations on the court could provide him with an opportunity to become a rotation player in the NBA.
Although he struggled to find the net in the championship game, he still managed to log 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three block shots in addition to scoring 13 points.
Tucker’s Latest Shot
After lighting up the G League last season, Tucker was promptly snatched up by the Utah Jazz, with whom he remained through the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Although he was largely a garbage-time player for the Jazz, his 20 regular-season appearances equal the number of games Joe has played with Philly this season. He also saw court time during Utah’s first-round playoff series with the Denver Nuggets.
Tucker’s shooting numbers with Delaware left something to be desired, but his eye for the basket, energy on the court and ability to rebound as a 6-foot-3 guard are undeniable assets. Moreover, the 23-year-old can jump out of the gym.
In 2015, he beat future teammate and 2017 Slam Dunk Contest winner Donovan Mitchell in a national prep dunk contest. More recently, his play caught the eye of Sixers’ coach Doc Rivers.
“I got to see him in the last couple of games. I love his attacks. I love how aggressive he is. He’s a strong guard that plays with great intensity,” Rivers said, via Grasso.
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Sixers’ Triumphant G League Trio Returns to Philly For Stretch Run