PHILADELPHIA–New Philadelphia 76ers forward Nic Batum has played well with his new team following the acquisition from the Los Angeles Clippers in the James Harden deal. Batum is shooting 54.5% from deep in seven games with four starts.
While the 3-point shooting is what has stood out for Batum in the early part of his Sixers tenure, it’s the things that don’t show up in the box score. He has shown off a terrific ability to throw perfect entry passes into Joel Embiid and he has done a really good job of understanding where to be on the floor for relocation 3s and spacing the floor.
Batum has fit in with the Sixers seamlessly and coach Nick Nurse isn’t exactly surprised by it.
“I would say a little bit,” Nurse pondered. “Only because—but not totally, OK? I’ve always admired Batum’s game a lot. I tried to get him before on my team. He’s such a good basketball player in so many facets, but he’s been really, really good. When you play against these guys, you see certain things that he’s done in the past.”
Batum has made a difference for the Sixers on the defensive end as well. He has picked up the opposition’s top scorer and he has really made an impact on this Sixers team on a regular basis.
Nurse recalled facing Batum while he was still coach of the Toronto Raptors and the impact Batum made against his team.
“He was an absolute stopper against one of my guys in Toronto in LA last year,” Nurse recalled. “Just absolutely full court, nose-to-nose, like ‘Geez, this dude’s like 35 years old. How old is this guy?’ and he’s taken that role and that basically just tells you that he has the ability to do it and he’s willing to do anything his team needs him to do to win and I think that kinda sums him up.”
Batum is a winning player. He does a lot of really good things on the basketball court and the Sixers will need him to do that on a consistent basis as they move forward in the 2023-24 season.
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