Sixers Bell Ringer: Andre Drummond, Seth Curry shine in preseason loss to Toronto

After three and a half months without Philadelphia 76ers basketball, they returned to the hardwood Monday for their preseason opener and fell to the Toronto Raptors 123-107. Both teams were without key players, including Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Pascal Siakam. Led by a glut of rangy, multifaceted wings, the Raptors used a 21-2 run midway through the first half to seize control and never trailed the rest of the night.

The Sixers will look to nab their first preseason victory on Thursday when they face the Raptors inside Wells Fargo Center at 7 p.m. Monday’s loss won’t stop us from anointing the inaugural Bell Ringer of 2021-22, though.

Andre Drummond: 19 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, three assists, five turnovers

In his Sixers debut, the veteran center was a two-way force during the opening half, when he posted 17 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and two assists. He exploited Toronto’s lack of front-court size with a few self-created buckets, was active defensively on the interior, and showcased his playmaking chops. The second half gave way to some sloppiness as a passer and he only played six minutes after intermission, but Drummond turned in a quality first game with Philadelphia.

Seth Curry: 14 points, four steals, two assists

Behind 14 points on 63.6 percent true shooting (6-of-11 overall, 2 of 3 from deep), the guard-turned-flamethrower didn’t miss a beat after his torrid playoff run. He was aggressive hunting his shot, consistently attacked into the paint and proved pesky defensively, sneaking his way into four steals. Understandably, head coach Doc Rivers and Co. elected not to play him following halftime, so Curry wrapped up his night with a proficient 14 points in 17 minutes before the break.

Paul Reed: Four points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two steals

Despite a 2-of-7 shooting performance, Reed impressed off the bench. Flying around the court as only he can, he snagged six offensive boards, was a menace on the interior defensively and contained a few ball-handlers outside the paint. Although neither of his long balls found the net, he was a prompt and willing shooter when given the chance, which is important for his development as a pick-and-pop big. Reed’s motor never runs cold and on Monday, it yielded an encouraging start to his 2021-22 season.