PHILADELPHIA — For the Philadelphia 76ers stay afloat as they have been able to do recently without Joel Embiidthey needed a solid game Kelly Oubre Jr.
The athletic veteran from Kansas has been playing well lately averaging 20.7 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 42.4 percent from the floor over his last nine games. He’s only shooting 26.5 percent from deep in that span, but he’s finding ways to put the ball in the basket and he’s someone the Sixers can continue to rely on.
“I’m just aggressive, man,” Oubre added. “Continuing to stay confident for the next play, the next play, but also just finding guys. I find a lot more guys because I see the energy I attract every time I attack the paint, so I just kick, but also let the game come to me and don’t do anything force.
Over this same period of 9 matches, Oubre averages 2.1 assists per match, which is higher than the 1.4 assists he averages over the season. He’s been a willing passer on the offensive end and made smarter shots, which allows Philadelphia to find some rhythm on that side of the court and allows everyone to be on the same page.
When it comes to defense, Oubre has been great. He has great instincts on that end and he uses his length and defensive acumen to be a reliable player on that end. He had five blocks on Monday defeat the Miami Heat.
“Your timing and less mistakes and just trying to be in the right places,” Oubre said. “A lot of times I’m a good defender with the ball, but I help and I’m away from the other team’s best players and that’s where I stop, so I just try to be focused and being there for my guys no matter what. If someone gets beat, I’m there to help them, but we also have to put in extra effort and that’s just effort and effort. energy. That’s what defense is all about, so I just try to be really focused on that.
The Sixers will need Oubre to continue to be productive on both ends as they begin a 4-game West Coast road trip that begins Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns.
