(Associated Press)

When 76ers coach Doug Collins throws out his lineups each day at practice, it offers a good chance to see who is pitted against whom.

An interesting pairing lately has been Evan Turner (pictured) and Jrue Holiday working with the first-teamers, and Maalik Wayns and Royal Ivey operating with the second unit.

Because Collins envisions Turner as the secondary ballhandler, when Holiday either fatigues or incurs foul trouble, Ivey and Wayns have been tasked with turning up the pressure on both members of the Sixers' starting backcourt. And they've been playing well. Wayns has been getting to the rim with ease in transition opportunities, and both he and Ivey have done a good job hampering Holiday and Turner on the defensive side.

Turner and Collins continue to laud the competition level at Sixers' camp, which closed Monday and returned to practice mode Tuesday. Turner said the heat of the competition in preseason will make for better play in the regular season.

“It’s going to make the game easier," Turner said. "Royal is a great vet where he just wants to push you and make you better. He’s all about making you better. He told me that when I first met him. He said, ‘I’m going to try to get the best out of you so you can be better when the game starts.’ 

"And you know, Maalik, he’s a humble, young kid. He wants to keep getting better. He’s always about competing and that’s what he’s doing."

The Sixers open their preseason schedule Thursday in Orlando.