Labaron Philon scored 24 points to go with six assists and three rebounds in a 100-93 Sixers win over the Pacers in Summer League. Philadelphia’s first-round pick continues to show flashes of real upside, and he got a big lift from second-year player Johni Broome, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Here’s what I saw.

The Philon and Broome show

We weren’t treated to an immediate barrage of threes as we saw in the Summer League opener, but Labaron Philon played even better in his follow-up against the Indiana Pacers. For the first 2.5 quarters, the Sixers had the look of a pro unit in an environment where good offense can be hard to come by, and Philon’s poise and control at the point of attack were a big piece of their success.

When we discussed the possibility that Philon might be the best ballhandler on the team already, I think questioning it was actually a little disrespectful to the rookie. His yo-yo ability with the basketball just lulls defenders to sleep, and Philon did a great job on Saturday of eating up space inside the arc to score short midrange jumpers and runners. Matchups with Yuki Kawamura allowed him to play a little bit of bully ball, something we’re unlikely to see almost ever again, but that was just a small piece of his very effective attacking underneath.

Philon spent a good chunk of the first two quarters in facilitator mode, and the Sixers played an attractive, pass-heavy style of ball to race out to an early lead against Indiana. Johni Broome deserves his own share of the credit for Philon and the team’s success — he set good screens, made smart decisions out of short rolls, and was remarkably effective with his scoring opportunities. This felt like a make-or-break Summer League for Johni Broome, an older second-year guy who couldn’t find much time with the big club last season.

An optimist would posit that perhaps Broome simply needed his first year to start rounding into genuine NBA shape, because a lot of what he’s done through two games looks familiar to anyone who watched him star at Auburn. He’s not jumping high enough to clear a phone book, but he has the instinct and the strength to position himself around the basket, extend possessions with tip-ups, and he has been a value add to the Summer Sixers as a playmaker. Last year, his athleticism deficit prevented him from doing “Johni Broome things” and left all of us wondering if he had enough of it to last in the league. He’s back to doing things his way this summer, and many of Broome’s buckets on Saturday came via his own hard work, as he moved the Pacers around for offensive rebounds all night long. Credit to the Auburn product for rising to the occasion, because a bad start here could have been spooky for his long-term NBA chances.

(Of course, I still have zero confidence in Broome as a defender. So it goes.)

With Broome playing well as Philadelphia’s starting center, Philon has had a safe set of hands to throw to out of ball screens and a partner for two-man actions, which is all he has really needed to get into his bag. Philon’s first two threes of the night both came on helpers from Broome, one on a kickback out of a ball screen and the other on a pass out from Broome following an offensive rebound. Philon’s ability to make shots off the catch, a skill he solidified in year two at Alabama, is going to make him an easy offensive fit alongside any of their guards on the big club.

Philon has done and shown just about anything you could have hoped for through two games. He has played with good pace when starting off of the ball in dribble handoffs, run the offense well at point, and has shown defensive tenacity closer to his freshman year heights than his sophomore year lows. And he has done it all while talking a ton of trash along the way, adding some spice and entertainment value to these dreary midsummer games.

If I’m being honest, I have already seen enough out of Philon to feel confident in his immediate NBA future, and the only reason for him to keep playing (other than love of the game) is for entertainment purposes. He’s a very polished offensive player for a player taken 22nd overall, and any issues I’ve seen are connected to his lack of strength/size, which isn’t going to change from playing in these games. I’m rooting for him to keep playing for my own enjoyment of the games, but nothing more than that.

Ultimately, the two most important Sixers playing in Las Vegas have had two very good games. In that sense, this is already basically mission accomplished for Philadelphia in the desert. If one of these other guys can solidify a case for a two-way by the time this run is over, it will have been a summer well spent.

Other notes

— The big winner of this one was Matt Rogers, who bounced back from a tough start vs. Detroit for a perfect 6/6 first half against Indiana. He played with great activity aside from the shotmaking, scooping up some cheap points around the basket with cuts and off-ball activity. With the game on the line in the final minute, Rogers finished off an excellent possession with a corner three-pointer that probably should have put the game away. In any case,

Dante Maddox feels like a particularly problematic fit for a Sixers team that is absolutely loaded with guards, but he has been the clear standout of the other guys so far. He shot the cover off the ball overseas last year and continues to do so for the summer Sixers, and I will never be mad about an organization loading up on that skill.

Not the greatest follow-up performance from Isaac “Big Fish” Johnson, though, who couldn’t get shots to drop after his first game heater.

— Need to know exactly why Philon has taken the headband off for both second halves in Vegas.

— Credit to Yuki Kawamura for battling his ass off as he always does, but the officials treated him like he was a Make-a-Wish recipient playing in his one and only Summer League game. He must have gotten away with five different fouls during the third-quarter run that got the Pacers back in the game, including smacking Broome in the face and extending the arm to push off of Maddox for a three. Ridiculous!

— This sort of blown lead means these guys are definitely Sixers.

— Mike Gansey was courtside for this one in a Phillies hat. Clearly trying to make amends for his no-hitter jinx, good work by him.