Ben Simmons has shown no mercy to Melbourne United by putting on a show in the Philadelphia 76ers' demolition of the visiting Australians.
The 76ers opened the NBA pre-season with a 104-84 win in Philadelphia on Friday in the first of a week of clashes between NBA and NBL teams in the US and Canada.
Melbourne-born Simmons, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, performed spectacular passes, dunks and athletic defensive plays and fell just short of a triple-double despite 76ers coach Brett Brown resting him for the final quarter.
Simmons had eight points, eight rebounds and 14 assists, including one spectacular play where he passed the ball off the backboard to himself and then flicked it to team-mate Markelle Fultz for an easy basket.
"It was a lot of fun," Simmons said after the game.
"It was good getting back on the court, getting a feel for the game again."
United had an injury scare late in the second quarter when shooting guard Chris Goulding appeared to have an open shot under the basket until 76ers' All-Star centre Joel Embiid launched his 213cm tall, 113kg body at the Australian.
Boomers star Goulding crashed to the floor, grabbed his leg and then limped off to the locker room.
Early reports said the injury, to his left ankle, was not serious.
United's centre Alex Pledger top-scored for the Australians with 19 points and 13 rebounds and Goulding had 13 points, despite missing five of his six three point attempts, from his shortened 19-minute stint.
Embiid had little trouble scoring 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in his brief 23 minutes on the court.
The 76ers' other Australian, rookie Jonah Bolden, had six points in 12 minutes.
The NBA and NBL expanded their exhibition games this year after last year's successful debut where three games were staged in the US.
The Perth Wildcats face the Utah Jazz, containing Joe Ingles and Dante Exum on Saturday (Sunday AEST) in Salt Lake City.
Later in the week Andrew Bogut returns to the NBA with his Sydney Kings playing the Los Angeles Clippers in Hawaii, the Phoenix Suns host the New Zealand Breakers, Melbourne moves north to play the Toronto Raptors, Perth take on the Denver Nuggets and the Adelaide 36ers face the Jazz.
