In a three-year span, Kelly Oubre Jr. established himself as a mainstay in the Philadelphia 76ers’ starting lineup and a player who possesses contagious energy on and off the court. But, after being sidelined by a sprained left knee since November 14th, the 76ers turned to Dominick Barlow to fill the void–who has done so at a high level. Now that Oubre is ramping up, it begs the question: Will he retain his spot?
The 11-year veteran returned in Philadelphia’s 131-110 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, but Barlow remained in the starting lineup. Considering that Oubre missed the 76ers’ last 21 games at that point, coming off the bench on limited minutes was to be expected. He totaled two points on 1-4 shooting from the field, three rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes.
The forward will likely spend Philadelphia’s next few games getting his legs back and with that, return to the high-flying player that fans have grown to love. Once that happens, however, remaining on the bench could be an option.
The 76ers’ reserve unit was considered one of their strengths heading into the season, but that has not been the case. They’re averaging 32.7 bench points per game, the 23rd-best output in the NBA. Quentin Grimes–averaging 14.7 points–is picking up most of the slack while Jared McCain’s struggles continue. Justin Edwards and Adem Bona also haven’t grown in their sophomore years in the way fans hoped.
Trendon Watford–who returned with Oubre after not playing since November 25th due to a left adductor strain–was one of Philadelphia’s more stable reserves. If his playmaking talents and Oubre’s score-first nature remain in the 76ers’ second unit, it could be in for a resurgence. The forward is averaging 15.6 points on 59.8% true shooting, a career-high.
Not to mention, Barlow has Oubre’s best qualities, cutting and rebounding, and better fits the traditional power forward mold. At six-foot, nine-inches, he offers more size down low and has taken on tougher front-court assignments that Oubre couldn’t due to him being more of a small forward by trade. Barlow guarded Jalen Johnson for 15 minutes across two games where he shot a combined 7-18 from the field.
Comparing Oubre and Barlow in this manner isn’t about determining who the better player is. It’s an evaluation of their respective skill sets and judging where they fit best determining Philadelphia’s needs. The 76ers will face the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. EST, so more light may be shed on this situation tonight.