PHILADELPHIA — Every team needs that glue guy. That guy who doesn’t need the ball and finds ways to impact the game in other ways in order to contribute.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, that guy is Dominick Barlow. A 4-year big man from Overtime Elite, Barlow is averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 54.2% and starting 22 of the 25 games he has played in while on a two-way deal. He is somebody who doesn’t need the ball to produce and is a reliable piece for coach Nick Nurse and Co.
Advertisement
Barlow gave the Sixers a big boost in the third when he scored nine points on 4-for-4 shooting while knocking down a corner triple. All in all, he finished with 11 points and six rebounds and received praise from big man Joel Embiid.
“He’s good,” Embiid said of Barlow. “Obviously, he does everything we need. He doesn’t need the ball, plays hard defense, rebounds, especially offensive rebounding. That’s huge for us. Someone in that lineup that’s willing to do that. So, that’s always welcomed, and obviously, anytime we have a chance to try to find him with an easy basket, we gotta reward him.”
The starting lineup will be interesting going forward now that Kelly Oubre Jr. has returned from injury. One has to wonder whether Barlow will keep his starting spot in the lineup or if Oubre will step in and take his starting spot back. Either way, it’s obvious that the Sixers will need to get him consistent minutes as they move forward with the season.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Dominick Barlow receives praise from Sixers star for his performances