CAMDEN, N.J. — As the Philadelphia 76ers get set to start the postseason on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic in the play-in game, there will be a number of factors they will have to rely on in order to find any type of success.
One of those factors will be Kelly Oubre Jr. as the 11-year veteran out of Kansas continues to be a reliable piece for this group. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting a career-high 36% from deep in the 2025-26 season. He battled injuries of his own as he was limited to just 50 games, but Oubre was a big factor for Philadelphia in the regular season and will continue to be in the postseason.
Advertisement
As the Sixers start against the Magic in the 7 vs. 8 matchup, Oubre will defend the likes of Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane on the perimeter along 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 said at practice 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 physical wings who will put their heads down and attack the basket in this matchup. It will be up to Oubre to now only slow them down, but to also rebound the basketball at a high rate and knock down open 3s within the offense. He is a player who can do all of that and will need to bring it a high level on Wednesday night.
“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.”
Advertisement
The Sixers and Magic will tip off at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday from the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers discuss Kelly Oubre Jr. as versatile option ahead of postseason
