So far, so good for the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, who moved to 3-0 in preseason play Sunday evening with a 126-94 win over the Orlando Magic. Tonight, the Sixers will take on the Detroit Pistons in their penultimate exhibition warm-up.
The Pistons are somewhat mired in a similar treadmill of mediocrity to the one Sam Hinkie determined the Sixers needed to escape a few years back. Detroit finished an even 41-41 last season, squeaking into the playoffs as the eighth seed and getting easily dispatched by the Bucks in the first round. That modest level of success came from continued growth on the perimeter and a return to the All-Star game for Blake Griffin, who torched the Sixers with a 50-point explosion last October.