Nicolas Batum is an NBA veteran in the twilight of his career but is still capable of game-winning performances. He scored eight points in the fourth quarter to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a Play-In win over the Miami Heat. After the win, Batum’s wife Lily sent a message to her husband’s haters, especially one rap lyric.
“This is why the f**k Batum in.”
This is why the fuck Batum in 😉 https://t.co/ZVOL1ZVHZe
— 𝕃𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝔼.𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕞 🪷 (@LilyEBatum) April 18, 2024
Lily Batum is referencing a popular freestyle clip in which a rapper says the words, ‘floor seats, Crypto, I got my tool in, fourth quarter, yelling why the f**k Batum in?’ This line became a meme on social media and is often brought up while discussing the French forward, who has regressed with age.
4th quarter yelling why the fuck batum in gotta be craziest NBA bar of all time pic.twitter.com/3t05vXheOm
— PROPTIMUS PRIME (@xProptimusPrime) March 4, 2023
He scored 20 points in the 76ers 105-104 win over the Heat, securing the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. They have a date with the Knicks in the first round, where Batum will be expected to contribute as a veteran frontcourt piece for the franchise.
He averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over the season, playing three games for the Clippers before being traded to the 76ers in October.
Nicolas Batum Is Crucial To The 76ers
When the 76ers made the trade to send James Harden to the Clippers, they pivoted from a team with a talented top-end to a deeper rotation with multiple veteran forwards in the frontcourt, with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey running the show. Batum has been an occasional starter but a solidified rotational piece for Philly, excelling as a 3-and-D wing on the contender.
Tyrese Maxey spoke about Batum’s defensive impact for the 76ers after the win over the Heat.
“[Batum] has guarded the smallest guys like Trae Young to the tallest man in the NBA like Wemby. His defensive versatility is second to none. Tonight he guarded Herro, Butler, Bam, what’s he’s done for this team has been remarkable.”
https://twitter.com/dan_olinger/status/1780784576773673026
For the win against the Heat, Batum took ownership of changing the outcome alongside Buddy Hield at halftime as the 76ers entered with a 12-point deficit.
“In the 2nd half we were like ok, you (Hield) and I, when we come in, we’ve gotta shoot. We were wide open. Try to find a way to take the pressure off Joel and Tyrese. That opened up everything.”
Batum’s efforts worked, especially on a night when the 76ers stars weren’t shining bright. Embiid struggled and scored just 23 points on 35.3% from the field, but made his impact on the boards be felt with 15 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey shot 37.5% and ended the game with 19 points.
Without Batum, especially his defense on Tyler Herro who ended the night with 25 points, the 76ers would have been headed for a second play-in game against the Chicago Bulls. Their prize for that win would be a first-round matchup with the Boston Celtics, so this win has drastically altered the 76ers’ postseason hopes.
Suppose they overcome a Julius Randle-less Knicks in the first round, they’ll either face an inexperienced Indiana Pacers squad or a Milwaukee Bucks squad with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status in doubt. This could finally be the year Embiid and the 76ers make the Conference Finals.
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