Sixers looking for rebounding improvement

MANCHESTER, England – The 76ers attacked the basket with reckless abandon. They ran the floor well, and put forth optimal effort.

But if you watched Sunday's 106-104 victory over Bilbao Basket, you know that  they were routinely outrebounded.

So, obviously, new coach Brett Brown wants the Sixers (1-0) to have a better a rebounding effort in Tuesday's preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0) at Phones 4U Arena.

"Some of that bordered on being so small," Brown said. "Even our big guys are not physical. They are going to have to be and our guards are going to have to rebound.

"It's going to be like a gang effort, a gang mentality."

The Sixers' rebounding shortcomings had a lot to do with the physical makeup of a team, loaded with inexperienced wings.

"But that's life," Brown said, "We have to really make sure that we understand how this team is really built, and what we have to do to fix it."

The Sixers also need to do a better job of getting to loose balls. At times, they struggled in that category against Bilbao Basket.

"Little stuff like getting the loose ball determines the game most of the time," reserve guard Tony Wroten said. "So we are definitely going to get better at that."

Reserve bigman Lavoy Allen will play against OKC. He was held out of Sunday's game to rest a lingering knee injury.

Rookie guard Khalif Wyatt is expected to see first action as a Sixer.

The team sat  him against Bilbao in order to give the starters extended minutes.

"I want our guys getting in great game shape," Brown said. "It's not something that we are going to slowly inch into this thing. We are here. We are trying to make it real. And our [starters] will play, and they'll play big minutes.

"The end game is to get them in a ready-to-go fitness shape for our first [regular-season] game."

Brown on what he wants to see from Wyatt: "Toughness defensively. End of story. End of Story!"

Follow Inquirer 76ers beat writer on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers for updates from Tuesday's Sixers game in Manchester.