PHILADELPHIA — Dominick Barlow started for the 76ers for the eighth time this season Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards.
Four of those starts have come next to Joel Embiid. Four, including Tuesday, were next to Andre Drummond. With the in and out of the frontcourt all season, Barlow’s adaptability around bigs of varying skillsets has been noticeable, particularly for a young guy on a two-way contract.
Barlow hasn’t been immune to the injury malaise that comes standard with a 76ers contract, missing nine games with an elbow laceration suffered in the Oct. 10 win over Charlotte. But Embiid’s status is a nightly mystery.
Drummond is playing through a knee issue. Adem Bona missed five games with an ankle sprain. Trendon Watford is on his second leg injury of the young campaign. So Barlow has had to play and plug into rotations with drastically different demands on the power forward spot.
Barlow showed the ability to do that in a 35-game stint with the Atlanta Hawks last year, and coach Quin Snyder had only glowing things to say about Barlow’s time there.
“He really knows how to play,” Snider said before Sunday’s double-overtime win by the Hawks. “He gave us, in a stretch where we really needed someone to come in and not only give us good minutes, but kind of connect a team. And I think it’s unusual for a player in that position to have that kind of an impact on the group.
“So I’m really happy to see him doing well, and not surprised. He’s got a great feel for the game, can pass, handle, just a smart player, and very committed to helping the team in the way he can.”
Barlow is averaging 26.8 minutes in his 10 games as a 76er, more than double the 10.7 he got as a Hawk. He’s averaging 7.9 rebounds, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
He’s played as a spacing four next to center but also had to shoulder the defensive load as a backup center on nights where Bona and Embiid haven’t been available. That included Sunday against Atlanta where coach Nick Nurse specifically matched him up defensively with Jalen Johnson.
Barlow has played in small-ball alignments as the center with Jabari Walker as the power forward. And he’s shot enough from 3-point range to make the bigger lineups work offensively.
While most of his numbers have dipped on a per-36-minute basis, as to be expected with a higher minute workload, he’s kept his 3-point attempts steady at 2.6. (His per-game average is 1.9.) His assist rate has gone way up, an indication of his fit in the offense. He’s averaging 2.3 assists per game, and his per-36 rate of 3.1 assists is much higher than the 1.8 he had in Atlanta. It equals his rate from much less playing time in San Antonio in 2023-24.
• • •
Quentin Grimes (right calf soreness) went from probable to questionable to out for Tuesday night’s visit from the Wizards. His absence leaves Tyrese Maxey as the only 76er to play in each of the team’s first 20 games.
Embiid was ruled out with injury management of his sore right knee after playing 30 minutes against Atlanta on Sunday. It’s a complicated week from the workload perspective, with the 76ers in the midst of five games in eight days.
They have a back-to-back at home to Golden State and at Milwaukee Thursday and Friday before a Sunday home date with the Lakers. Two overtimes on the front end against Atlanta that pushed two guys past their minutes limits didn’t help the matter.
Drummond (knee) and Paul George (left knee/lower back tightness) were both questionable but cleared to play.
The Wizards arrived on the back of a back-to-back, winning at home Monday against the Bucks. They were without Khris Middleton as well as the ongoing absence of Alex Sarr.
• • •
All the absences — and the general 3-and-16 lousiness — of the Wizards has given Villanova’s Cam Whitmore a chance to shine. He scored 17 points in the win over Milwaukee, and while he’s been a sub in all 20 games this season, he’s been impactful.
Whitmore, a first-round pick of Houston in 2023, is in his third season in the league and his first with the Wizards. He’s averaging 16.8 minutes, 9.7 points and 2.8 rebounds for the Wizards this season.
“He’s been great,” coach Brian Keefe said. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him and get him into our environment. He gives us scoring in bunches, puts pressure on the rim, gets out in transition. His activity on the defensive end to get steals and is rebounding well. He’s getting used to how we play, and but really pleased with him, been really a positive.”
Source: Berkshire mont
Be First to Comment