INDIANAPOLIS – The Philadelphia 76ers had a tough night time Saturday as they started a 3-game highway journey with a 115-102 defeat in opposition to the Indiana Pacers. It was an unsurprising loss contemplating they have been lacking Joel Embiid, Paul George and extra, however one rookie supplied a vivid spot.
Adem Bona, a second-round decide within the 2024 draft, got here off the bench and scored 12 factors on 5-for-5 taking pictures with six rebounds in 19 minutes in opposition to a tricky Pacers group. He supplied loads of vitality and athleticism, which is what the Sixers want in a tricky stretch with out Embiid and with Andre Drummond coming back from a toe damage.
“It’s good to have the ability to deliver the set off the bench,” Bona stated after the loss. “That is what I count on of myself to contribute to the group, and that is additionally what my teammates count on of me to deliver vitality, deliver the set off the bench. So I stated that each one day for me.”
There was a degree early in Bona’s tenure the place he did one thing the veterans on the bench weren’t followers of. He was rolling too early in pick-and-rolls on the offensive finish, which allowed the Pacers to identify him and react simply.
Slightly tip from the veterans allowed him to free himself up for just a few dunks and that allowed him to be efficient for Philadelphia.
“I made just a few performs early within the recreation after I had simply changed them, and so they noticed one thing that I wasn’t doing properly,” Bona stated. “They wished to summarize, like, ‘Yo, they’re, like, extra, like, really saying, maintain your display longer. Like, regulate the display and, like, swipe much less’ and I made the adjustment, and it form of helped me assist my group I had just a few guys open, I opened up just a few occasions, in order that was nice recommendation from the vets.
Bona has a variety of potential for the Sixers. Though they’re solely a second-rounder, the Sixers will proceed to depend on him and permit him to get assist from these reps extra constantly transferring ahead.
This text was initially revealed on Sixers Wire: Sixers rookie Adem Bona seems to construct on his efficiency in opposition to the Pacers
