Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond set the tempo in Sixers’ preseason victory over New Zealand Breakers

Andre Drummond has attempted just 120 three-pointers in 12 NBA seasons, and made 15 of them.

Yet, the 6-foot-11, 280-pound center has hoisted corner three-pointers after every practice and following Monday’s shootaround.

“My job here is to do whatever I’m told from the coaching staff,” he said. “I’m not here to do anything outside of that. If you see me shooting, it’s for a reason. It’s not for any other reason besides I was told to.”

Based on how he comfortably knocked down several threes at the shootaround, the 76ers coaching staff may be on to something.

» READ MORE: Nick Nurse touts Sixers’ versatility and Paul George shows off his work ethic

Drummond displayed his shooting touch in Monday’s 139-84 exhibition victory over the New Zealand Breakers of Australia’s National Basketball League at the Wells Fargo Center.

He drained a wide-open three-pointer on his second shot attempt to give the Sixers a commanding 16-3 advantage 3 minutes, 58 seconds into the game. He finished with 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting — including going 1-of-2 from three — to go with seven rebounds and one assist in 14:19, all in the first half.

“He can shoot them,” coach Nick Nurse said of Drummond attempting threes. “So we’re working on them for sure. I think there’s moments when you can find some space for him if you are playing against the rim protector. But I think he can shoot.

“From what I’ve known for a while, he’s a lot more skilled than maybe he’s ever shown. Just [getting] rebounds and [has his] hands on the ball all the time. But he’s got some ball skill. He’s got some passing skill. He’s got some shooting skill that we’ll keep working on.”

Tyrese Maxey showed the Breakers why the All-Star is the NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player. The fifth-year point guard finished with 15 points while making 4-of-5 three-pointers. He exited the game after playing the entire first quarter.

Guerschon Yabusele (15 points), Reggie Jackson (15), Jared McCain (15), and Ricky Council IV (13) were the other double-figure scorers. The Sixers made 17-of-37 three-pointers and shot 58% overall from the field.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright led the Breakers with 26 points.

But this game was over shortly after it started.

Nine Sixers logged first-quarter minutes and the squad took a 40-19 lead into the second quarter.

First-round pick McCain entered the game to a loud ovation to begin the second. The guard out of Duke didn’t let his fans down, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the quarter. He made 4 of 9 three-pointers for the game, mostly on catch-and-shoot situations.

“It’s something as a smaller guard I think you have to be able to do,” the 6-1, 195-pounder said. “If I’m going to be a small guard, catch-and-shoot, you have to be able to release with everybody being so tall in this league. “But it’s something I’ve been working on for a while now. It’s nice that it’s showing.”

The Sixers built a 39-point cushion before taking a 82-45 lead into the intermission. Eleven players saw action in the first half, all playing at least seven minutes.

Philly led by as many as 59 points after the intermission.

This was the first of six exhibition games before the Oct. 23 season-opener against the visiting Milwaukee Bucks.

As expected, Drummond started in place of 2023 league MVP Joel Embiid. The Sixers are bringing the seven-time All-Star, who has been hampered by injuries, along slowly. Nine-time All-Star Paul George was the other player who got the night off.

As a result, Drummond was joined by Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, and Maxey in the starting lineup against the Breakers.

“My job first and foremost is to be a defensive stopper, get rebounds, block shots, get out in the break, finish strong in the paint,” Drummond said of his role. “If there is a time, I do get out there and shoot that shot, I’m comfortable shooting it.

“But my job is to be a beast in the paint.”

That’s why reacquiring him was one of the Sixers’ biggest offseason moves.

The 31-year-old has career averages of 12.7 points and 12.4 rebounds in 864 games with 640 starts. Drummond was a two-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion while spending his first eight seasons with the Detroit Pistons.

After being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Drummond had stops with the Los Angeles Lakers, Sixers and Chicago Bulls before returning to Philly this offseason.

Monday’s exhibition was a homecoming for Breakers forward Jonah Bolden (six points), reserve guard Chris Arcidiacono, and team owner Matt Walsh.

» READ MORE: Germantown Academy’s Matt Walsh used to ride shotgun with Shaq. Now he owns a New Zealand team playing the Sixers.

Walsh is a former Germantown Academy star and overseas basketball standout. Arcidiacono, a Langhorne native, is a rookie out of Villanova. And Bolden played two seasons for the Sixers.

The Sixers selected Bolden with the 36th overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. With the team lacking a roster spot, the 6-8, 220-pounder spent the 2017-18 season playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League and the EuroLeague. He joined the Sixers the following season.

He averaged 4.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 44 games including 10 starts that season. The Australian made only four appearances with the Sixers in 2018-19, when he played primarily for the Delaware Blue Coats. The Sixers waived him on Feb. 7, 2020.