PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are again on high a 117-95 preseason dwelling victory over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night time because of a powerful efficiency from Kelly Oubre Jr. who had 18 factors, however coach Nick Nurse put KJ Martin within the beginning lineup and had encouraging outcomes.
Martin had 12 factors and 6 rebounds as he ran the courtroom effectively, had an affect at defensive finish and did loads of nice issues on each ends of the courtroom. Philadelphia will wish to proceed to develop Martin over time, however for now, Nurse is pleased with what he sees.
“He was good, wasn’t he? Actually good,” Nurse stated of Martin. “I believe, once more, simply attempting to check out some issues. Give him an opportunity to start out. He is been actually powerful defensively. He is been good on the glass as effectively. He finishes there and he performs with a reasonably good sense of realizing what is going on on there too, so he is sort of like a small energy ahead, however he is in a position to transfer his toes on the perimeter and guard good gamers.
Getting into his first full season in Philadelphia, Martin feels far more snug with what the Sixers anticipate. Nurse sees it after the 5-year veteran was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to Philadelphia as a part of the James Harden commerce in the beginning of the 2023-24 season. There’s a completely different consolation stage for Martin coming into this season in comparison with final.
“He got here again slightly extra assured, positive of himself and slightly extra snug,” Nurse added of Martin. “I believe loads of guys are shocked once they get traded and transfer to a metropolis. He was in that group for some time, questioning the place he was, what had occurred to him and what was going to occur to him subsequent.”
Whereas the Sixers clearly might nonetheless commerce him when the deadline arrives in February, the excellent news is that he’s beneath contract and is with the Sixers for now. This brings some stability to their life in the mean time and it permits the participant to only loosen up and proceed shifting ahead.
“Clearly he bought a contract,” Nurse completed. “He is completed loads of work on his shot this summer time, however his recreation remains to be sort of an influence ahead. He is solely 6-foot-4/6-foot-5 or no matter, however he performs sort of an influence play at Rim. Excellent defender, lob menace, we’ll see how his shot improves one among nowadays if he takes just a few.
The Sixers will play one closing preseason recreation Friday in opposition to the Orlando Magic.
This text was initially printed on Sixers Wire: Nick Nurse singles out KJ Martin after Sixers beat Nets in preseason
