Philadelphia’s backcourt has drawn most of the attention during the club’s 5-1 opening stretch, but veteran forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is proving equally influential. In Sunday’s win over Brooklyn, the 29-year-old drew the primary defensive assignment on Michael Porter Jr., who had scored 32 points the game before. Oubre held Porter to two first-half points while pouring in 24 of his own, including a career-best 22 in the first quarter.
“When you start the game super focused on D, that really usually translates to the other end,” head coach Nick Nurse said postgame.
Through six contests, Oubre—unrestricted in free agency next summer—is averaging 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 52.6% from the field, 41.6% from three and 80.0% at the line in 38.0 minutes.
Kyle Lowry Begins 20th NBA Season
Sunday’s matchup also marked a milestone for Kyle Lowry, who became only the 12th player in league history to appear in 20 seasons when he checked in during the closing minutes. The six-time All-Star, born in Philadelphia and a Villanova product, has assumed a leadership role in the locker room.
“That’s a Hall of Famer we’re talking about,” guard Tyrese Maxey said. “He’s up cheering for everybody, motivating people, talking in the locker room. We appreciate having him.”
Edgecombe’s Fit Next to Embiid
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe has averaged 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals on 49.5% shooting in 39.0 minutes, making him the league’s top first-year scorer so far. In a column, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer questioned how much offensive upside Edgecombe can reach while sharing the floor with ball-dominant center Joel Embiid.
Monitoring Embiid’s Mobility
Embiid, limited to four appearances after April knee surgery, has shown reduced defensive mobility. In a subscriber mailbag, Pompey suggested the issue could linger, though he noted it may take another month to determine whether the former MVP is simply regaining conditioning.
The mailbag also addressed Paul George’s playmaking and the potential defensive impact the nine-time All-Star could have once he makes his season debut.
McCain Nearing Return
The team expects second-year guard Jared McCain to make his season debut Tuesday in Chicago.
Source: Hoops Rumors
