CAMDEN, N.J. — As the Philadelphia 76ers get set to begin the postseason on Wednesday night time towards the Orlando Magic within the play-in recreation, there will probably be a quantity of components they must depend on so as to discover any sort of success.
One of these components will probably be Kelly Oubre Jr. as the 11-year veteran out of Kansas continues to be a dependable piece for this group. He averaged 14.1 factors, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists whereas capturing a career-high 36% from deep within the 2025-26 season. He battled accidents of his personal as he was restricted to simply 50 video games, however Oubre was an enormous issue for Philadelphia within the common season and can proceed to be within the postseason.
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As the Sixers begin towards the Magic within the 7 vs. 8 matchup, Oubre will defend the likes of Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane on the perimeter together with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner out ont he wing.
“Kelly’s kind of a do a little bit of everything guy,” coach Nick Nurse mentioned at apply on Tuesday. “What are we going to need out of him tomorrow? Probably a little bit of everything. He’s going to have some tough matchups. Both their wings or 3/4s (Banchero and Wagner), whatever you want to call them, are super good players, and he’s going to be matched up on those guys a lot. He may get out to Bane or Suggs as well, so his defensive stuff is going to be important.”
Both Banchero and Wagner are bodily wings who will put their heads down and assault the basket on this matchup. It will probably be as much as Oubre to now solely gradual them down, however to additionally rebound the basketball at a excessive fee and knock down open 3s inside the offense. He is a participant who can do all of that and might want to deliver it a excessive degree on Wednesday night time.
“He’s going to have to be able to rebound with giving away a little bit of size and weight, depending on whichever guy he ends up on,” Nurse added. “I think we’re also going to need his scoring. When Kelly can shake free and knock down a couple of open threes or give us two or three of those front-of-the-rim, left-handed drives to keep the scoreboard moving, I think that’s important for us. All that stuff.”
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The Sixers and Magic will tip off at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday from the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
This article initially appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers discuss Kelly Oubre Jr. as versatile option ahead of postseason
