Among the scenarios that this play-in tournament in the East could offer us, let’s say that this one makes us very happy. The Sixers qualified for the Playoffs, largely thanks to Nicolas Batum!
Pack up your Team USA for this summer, France has Nicolas Batum in its ranks. No need for Curry when you have a guy capable of making six 3-point shots in a tough match, no need for Kawhi when you have a guy who sets up tarpaulins and provokes zone returns in money time. Rah, piss off, we can’t find the flag emojis on the keyboard.
First of all, like all the guys on his team, he had a first half that we would describe as lackluster. A little 3-point shot for form, but being the glue guy of a team is of no use when your franchise player doesn’t care. The Sixers are having a hard time facing the Miami press, facing the Miami zone, and you would almost believe that Doc Rivers has returned to the Sixers bench because nothing is happening.
20 points at 7/12 shooting including 6/10 from the parking lot, 5 rebounds and 1 block in 28 minutes
But in the second half it is the captain of the French team who will sound the revolt. With a 3-point shot in the corner and another at 45 degrees, Philly got back into the game thanks to its four-star veteran. Enough to give us a suspenseful end to the match, and when it comes to suspense Nico has even more fun (the perfect moment to salute Klemen Prepelic). Now Batman wants to shoot at all costs and even begins to try step backs that he creates on his own, not really his delirium in 2024, and to his… three new long distance arrows will be added in the money time a tap victorious and a stifling defense to add a little more salt to the bill.
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) April 18, 2024
THE CONS OF BATUM pic.twitter.com/g93uMzEpPl
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) April 18, 2024
A counter on a Tyler Herro who was heating up badly in the preceding minutes, then a return to the zone provoked, still on Tyler Herro, two enormous defensive actions which at the same time remind us that Nico remains one of the very best 3 and Ds in the NBA, still today. In the end the Sixers won at the cost of a much better negotiated second half, the return to form of Joel Embiid at the very end of the match and it was about time, but the announced X factor of this match was much more than that’s on the Sixers side since Nico Batum walks away with the trophy for best player of this play-in tournament for Philly.
Record of the season so as not to spoil anything, enough to be confident for the future and it will be necessary, because it is the Knicks who appear in the first round of the Playoffs. Record of the season in the most important match of the season? Can’t wait for the Olympic final, when he sticks 31 to the beard of LeBron and company. Well done Nico, Cocorico, Cocorico.
2024-04-18 02:13:00
#Nicolas #Batum #hero #Sixers #playin #tournament
