Posts diverse line in big minutes Batum finished with nine points (3-5 FG, 3-5 3Pt), seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal across 33 minutes Sunday in the 76ers' 137-126 win over the Pacers. Impact After coming off the bench in each of his first three appearances with the 76ers upon being acquired from the Clippers in late October, Batum entered the starting five in place of Kelly Oubre (ribs), who is expected to miss extended time. Head coach Nick Nurse pumped plenty of minutes into Batum, who responded by providing quality defensive numbers in addition to serving as a knockdown shooter on the perimeter. Batum's usage sat at a lowly 6.9 percent for the contest, and even if he continues to see heavy minutes as a starter, offensive touches may be few and far between while the likes of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris are all healthy and available. Batum could still represent a solid streaming option for defensive stats and three-pointers in deeper leagues if he continues to stick as a 30-plus-minute player.
NOVEMBER 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE
