CAMDEN, NJ – The Philadelphia 76ers' 2022-23 season will start with a bang. They open the new season with a road game against the Boston Celtics before hosting the Milwaukee Bucks two days later. Seeing two fellow conference contenders right away couldn't be a better test for the Sixers.

The Celtics and Bucks are very good on both ends of the floor but particularly on defense. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart awaits the Sixers on opening night and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the award two years ago, will be the first superstar they see at home this year. They are each surrounded by lots of defensive talent. After the Sixers' Friday practice, head coach Doc Rivers gave two points of emphasis for Philly's offense.

“They both switch a lot, and so how well we attack their switches. They will trap some, and how well we attack the traps,” Rivers explained. “We can’t become stagnant. Both teams are long. So, they’re very switchable teams. We don’t wanna just stand there with the ball outside the [3-point line] the whole game. We gotta pass, cut and move.”

Throughout the preseason, the Sixers have benefited from timely screens from guys like P.J. Tucker and De'Anthony Melton as well as pushing the pace. Creating openings around Joel Embiid as he goes to work in the post will be crucial against teams that will make it hard for him to score in the post to begin with.

In addition to stellar defensive forwards like Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum, both teams have stellar defenders at the point of attack. Boston's Smart and Derrick White and Milwaukee's Jrue Holiday will challenge the Sixers' ball-handlers. Melton, one of the guards who may end up seeing one of those defensive stalwarts guarding him, explains the Sixers have to be careful but not overly cautious.

“I know they like to get active around the ball, so we gotta protect it,” Melton said. “But, I mean, we also gotta go out there and be aggressive. Attack as much as they’re trying to attack us and I think we’ll be fine.”

The Sixers are adopting an identity around their defense but their offense will be crucial to monitor with James Harden looking to settle into a role and Tyrese Maxey potentially taking a firm leap into stardom. Rivers' group has plenty of talent to punish defenses and will see just how ready the Sixers are when two tough defenses usher in the new season with them.

Rivers and Melton both made it clear that the most important thing the Sixers can do is get a feel for the new group. The results will matter but nearly as much as the team's ability to execute. “We gotta get better anyway. We know that,” Rivers said. “And not only just the players, us too. We have to make sure we figure out the right rotations, the right amount of minutes for guys…We don’t know any of that yet, so…a lot for us to figure out.”