PHILADELPHIA — Kelly Oubre entered Wednesday night’s game against Sacramento having scored 20 or more points in three straight games. With Paul George dealing with his latest injury, the production is even more valuable than normal.
In 12 games since returning from a three-game absence in early January, Oubre is averaging 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds.
“I think that it took him a bit of time to figure out where he was and what the situation in life was a little bit,” coach Nick Nurse said Monday. “But we asked him, first and foremost, to start playing defense, be a be a big part of our defense because you’ve got the talent and the skills to do it. And that took some time. There was some ups and downs. But I think for the most part, he settled in.”
Oubre’s season average of 6.2 rebounds is the highest among regularly available 76ers, a team down its top two centers and ranking dead last in the NBA at 39.1 per game.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve seen from Kelly is his willingness to go up and rebound,” Tyrese Maxey said Tuesday night. “I told him about two weeks back that everybody wants to push, everybody wants to have the ball in their hands. I said, listen, you get the rebound, that’s the green light to do whatever you want to. If you go up and get the rebound, just go ahead and go.”
Oubre entered Wednesday with three straight 20-point games. It’s just the second time he’s done that in two years as a 76er, the other a run of four consecutive from March 3-8, 2024.
On the pace front, the 76ers are still 28th in the NBA in possessions per game.
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Part of the 76ers’ recent surge has been a return to form by Eric Gordon, as the steady scorer he’s been for the bulk of his 17-year career.
In his first 16 games with the 76ers, at which point the free-agent signing dropped out of the rotation, Gordon shot 32.5 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from 3-point range. Since returning Dec. 16, he is shooting 50 percent overall and 48.8 percent from 3-point range (39-for-80). On the 76ers’ three-game winning streak, Gordon was 10-for-18 from deep.
“He’s played more, maybe got a little better rhythm, shape, conditioning, whatever,” Nurse said. “And I think our guys are starting to get used to coming around the corner and just attacking his guy knowing that his guy is in a spot. His guy has got to decide, is he’s going to slide over and help the ball, and if he does, they’re just going to get it off to him quick.”
Nurse lauded Gordon’s willingness to slow down LeBron James on Tuesday, even if Gordon isn’t renowned as a defensive stopper.
More vital is the familiarity. In all the injury in-and-out, Gordon didn’t get to establish patterns of effectiveness, which drove down his shooting percentage and his impact.
More stability magnifies Gordon’s floor-spacing ability, for his benefit and others’.
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Ricky Council was a season-worst minus-17 in Denver. He didn’t play against Cleveland, was pressed into duty against Chicago, then got a one-game refresher in Delaware.
The result Tuesday was 16 points, his third-highest total of the year, on 6-for-10 shooting vs. the Lakers.
“I know it probably seemed kind of weird that he ended up in Delaware, but just trying to get him to play his role, get some confidence,” Nurse said. “I think it may have helped him a little bit to maybe relax just a touch but also be able to play. I thought he went down there and played right: didn’t go down there and just try to score all the time, really tried to pass the ball and make the right plays.”
Council was 3-for-6 from 3-point range vs. the Lakers. He entered shooting 25.6 percent from deep.
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Justin Edwards drew the start for a second straight night. The Imhotep product was part of the 28th different lineup in the first 45 games.
His first NBA start made him the 15th 76er to start a game this season, even with the total for the entire 2022-23 season. Eighteen 76ers started a game last year.
Edwards was quietly solid against the Lakers, with seven points, four rebounds, three steals and three assists, though a minus-9 rating.
“I thought he really set a tone guarding the ball,” Nurse said. “(Austin) Reaves was really wanting to go at him, and he was having a hard time just getting things started. And I think when the guys are behind him seeing that, that automatically gets them more ready to go.”
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NOTES >> Paul George, who has missed the last two games with a left pinkie injury, shot on court Wednesday. His finger was taped, and Nurse said the training staff is vetting protective measures. … Caleb Martin, listed as questionable with a hamstring strain, was ruled out for the 10th straight game. … Guard Jeff Dowtin was selected as one of 28 G League All-Stars. The 27-year-old has averaged 25.9 points for the Delaware Blue Coats, while getting 22 games with the 76ers. He’ll be joined on All-Star Weekend by Lester Quinones, waived by the 76ers in December, and one Jahlil Okafor, the 76ers’ No. 3 overall pick in 2015 now plying his trade with the Indiana Mad Ants.
Source: Berkshire mont