WASHINGTON _ 76ers coach Brett Brown thinks it's unintelligent to make a judgment on his squad after one game.
He thinks folks will get a better sense of his squad after the first third of the season. Perhaps we will learn more then.
The Sixers looked a like a team worthy of all the offseason hype before ultimately falling, 120-115, to the Washington Wizards in the season opener for both Wednesday night at the Capital One Center.
The Sixers had their chances, trailing the Wizards by three points with 2.9 seconds left. However, Bradley Beal hit a pair of foul shots to give the Wizards their five-point cushion 0.9 seconds later.
"I was proud of them," Brown said. "I think to come into this building and play a team like that, a veteran team, a team that's been deep in the playoffs, and to look up with 1:30 left and be down by two, That's a good reason to be happy.
"By and large my immediate thoughts leaving the building are that there are lots of positives."
Robert Covington led all scorers with 29 points and a career-high tying seven 3-pointers. The power forward also finished with seven rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal.
But his effort didn't prevent the Sixers from dropping their fourth consecutive season opener. The squad also extended its losing streak to nine games dating back to last season. It will get a chance to snap the skid against the Boston Celtics in Friday's home opener at the Wells Fargo Center.
But it's hard to compare this team to the Sixers squad of last season.
Ben Simmons, the 2016 first overall pick, and Jerryd Bayless are healthy. The Sixers traded up to select Markelle Fultz first overall in the June's NBA draft. And they acquired J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson in free agency.
All of them contributed in the opener. But on this night, Joel Embiid had the biggest storyline.
The franchise center finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, one block and four turnovers in 26 minutes, 57 seconds. He made 7 of 15 shots in his first regular-season game since Jan. 27 after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Simmons finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists after missing last season with a Jones fracture in his right foot.
Bayless played only three games last season because of torn ligaments in his left wrist. On Wednesday, he finished with 13 points while making 3 of 7 3-pointers. Redick, who went 4 for 8 on 3s, had 12 points.
Fultz, who's from Maryland, came off the bench to score 10 points in front of several family members and friends. Johnson had five points and five rebounds off the bench before fouling out with 6 minutes, 54 seconds left.
On this night, they all took a backseat to Covington.
John Wall finished with a team-high 28 points for the Wizards. Beal added 25 points.
The Sixers kept battling back and pulled within two points after Covington's seventh 3-pointer with 1:14 left.
