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As many as three NBA scrimmage games were lined up for Friday night with all the six participants currently holding playoff spots. Championship candidates Boston Celtics were easily swept away by Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, Ben Simmons shined in his new role for the Philadelphia 76ers while the Houston Rockets struggled against the Toronto Raptors. Let's get into the details below.
Andre Roberson returns as Steven Adams dominates the Boston Celtics
After suffering a freak injury against the Detroit Pistons more than two years ago, Andre Roberson finally made his return to NBA basketball. He took to the court for the Thunder in the second half and marked the occasion with a 3-pointer.
However, it was all about the Steven Adams show in the game between OKC and the Boston Celtics. The Kiwi big absolutely dominated the likes of Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter, scoring 17 points and getting 7 rebounds, four of which were offensive boards. He even attempted a trey in the Thunder's first possession of the game!
Both Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart had nights to forget as the Thunder won the game 98-84. While Tatum only went 1 of 6 from the field, Smart missed all his five attempts from downtown.
Also read: NBA Playoffs 2020 - Predicting the 8 seeds from Eastern Conference
Ben Simmons shines at power forward
We finally saw a glimpse of the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons in his new role on the court. Simmons accrued 9 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds and even shot a trey as the Philadelphia 76ers recorded a simple 90-83 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Tobias Harris also had a double-double while Jonas Valanciunas' 20 points and 11 rebounds didn't help the cause of the Grizzlies. Ja Morant had a night to forget as he went 3 of 12 from the field scoring only 7 points in the game.
Houston Rockets falter in first NBA scrimmage game
Both James Harden and Russell Westbrook were available for Houston Rockets' match-up against the Toronto Raptors. While Harden was back to his usual antics – drawing multiple fouls and getting to the free-throw line – Westbrook showed signs of rust.
Ultimately, The Beard's 24-point effort was not enough as the Raptors ran victorious 94-83 behind a team effort that saw five players score in double digits. The 2019 NBA Champions were led by Serge Ibaka, who managed 18 points on 8 of 10 shooting from the field.
