NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers will have Nic Batum back in the lineup on Sunday when they take on the Brooklyn Nets in a road matinee. Batum has missed three games in a row due to personal reasons.
With Batum back with the team, coach Nick Nurse revealed he will be in the starting lineup against the Nets and he is happy to have him back on the floor. In four games with the Sixers, Batum is 8-for-13 from deep and has been terrific defensively.
“He’s just kind of a real glue guy for us as far as his versatility,” said Nurse before the contest with the Nets on Sunday. “Obviously, he can shoot the 3, he’s a really good passer, a good defender of multiple positions, and he plays the game the right way.”
This is the second time Batum has been away from the Sixers due to a personal matter. Now that he has returned to the team, Nurse is hopeful that the back-and-forth will be done and he will be with the team permanently.
“I think — I’m not super definitive on it, but I think it is getting closer to the end of the back and forth,” said Nurse. “But I don’t wanna like say it is for sure, but I think it is.”
The Sixers will take on the Nets on the road before returning home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers in an in-season tournament contest on Tuesday.
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