Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets Live NBA Preseason Updates, Scores and Highlights

The revamped Philadelphia 76ers travel to Barclays Center Thursday night to take on the Brooklyn Nets at 7:30 p.m EST in what will be each team's second game of the preseason. And guess what?!

We're getting our first look at Philly's starting five of LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid!

Naturally, then, this exhibition tilt is dripping with implications. The biggest storylines and questions we will be following throughout include:

How does the Sixers' newly unveiled starting five fare? Philly is attempting to join together a bunch of ball-dominant forces. Even if you're unbothered by the dynamic, this is a huge undertaking. The first glimpse at how they work alongside one another will be fascinating.

How many minutes do Philly's starters play? We typically get to see them through the first half. But LeBron is battling chronic arthritis in his left foot as well as sciatica. Embiid is also Embiid. Head coach Nick Nurse may opt to limit their court time even more than usual.

The Sixers' center rotation. New addition Ariel Hukporti suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon in Philly's preseason opener while Adem Bona (left foot), Dominick Barlow (back) and Tacko Fall (left hip) remain sidelined with their own injuries. After Embiid, we should brace ourselves for minutes with Jabari Walker, Dean Wade and even LeBron at the 5.

The Nets' center rotation. Day'Ron Sharpe has been ruled out with left shoulder soreness. Mo Wagner is the only other conventional center on the roster, so we should see some Julius Randle and Danny Wolf in the middle.

Keep up with all the highlights, analysis, commentary and storylines that emerge through this one below.

Multiple imaginary sources confirm LeBron will be sending Embiid straight to bed after the game without any dessert.

LeBron now has more no-look assists (two) than appearances in a Sixers uniform (one).

Labaron Philon Jr. Might've Been a Steal

This is the second straight game Labaron Philon Jr. has looked ultra-comfortable working away from the ball. And he's also got plenty of derring-do on it.

With all due respect to Anfernee Simons, Philly's rookie might need to get actual minutes this season.

The Sixers' New Era is Officially 12 Minutes Old

Biggest takeaways for the Sixers from that first quarter:

Both Maxey and VJ Edgecombe remain fast.

LeBron James can still control the game with his passing.

Opposing teams are not going to shy away from attacking Joel Embiid.

Score: Nets 33, Sixers 33 | End of the first quarter

The Nets Have Some On-Ball Speed of Their Own

We won't even mention the Sixers' interior defense. Instead, it's your move, VJ Edgecombe.

The Joel Embiid Experience So Far Has Been Uneven

Embiid putting the clamps on a speedster like Nolan Traoré is a good sign. But the Nets are relentlessly attacking him, like he's supposed to be the weak point of Philly's defense. That's something to monitor moving forward.

The ball movement. LeBron's no-look bounce pass. Edgecombe's baseline cut.

Zero field-goal attempts for LeBron halfway through first quarter is actually insane. Then again, the Sixers have more than enough scoring . Maybe this is a sign of things to come.

Totally unrelated: Anybody got odds on LeBron leading the league in assists per game this season?

Egor Dëmin just made LeBron look his age. And maybe even older.

Score: Sixers 15, Nets 15 | 6:37 remaining in the first quarter

It feels fitting that LeBron's first assist with the Sixers not only went to VJ Edgecombe, but came on a transition bucket following a Nets make .

Translation: This Philly team is going to run.

OK, watching shaved-head LeBron do this in a Sixers jersey is objectively weird. Still cool. But weird.

LeBron Gets a Warm Welcome in His First Sixers Start

Important note: This game is taking place in Brooklyn. LOL.

The Scoring in Philly's Starting 5 is Unreal

On the one hand, that's a lot of points. On the other hand, tHeRe Is OnLy OnE bAlL.

Joel Embiid is the 76ers' Only Healthy Center

Get ready to play center, LeBron. And Dean Wade. And Jabari Walker.

The Nets' Starting Lineup is Something...

Projected starters Mikel Brown Jr. and Day'Ron Sharpe are both out, but even so, running with Julius Randle or Noah Clowney as your de facto small forward is certainly a choice.

The Vibes are Immaculate in Philly's Locker Room

No matter how old you are or where your NBA loyalties lie, don't you dare for a second feel sheepish if you're stoked to see Philly's starting five in action.

Case in point: Even the Sixers organization can't contain their excitement. They're basically that six-year-old staying up to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

We know who's in the Sixers' starting five. But something about seeing it typed out on screen makes it somehow feel more surreal and ridiculous.

The 76ers' New-Look Starting Lineup is Ready 🍿

Everybody will surely have a measured reaction to how LeBron, Embiid, Maxey, Brown and Edgecombe fare during their first live-game stint together.