Kyle Lowry is the Sixers’ leader. They’re wise for keeping their best pure point guard in the starting lineup

DALLAS — Kyle Lowry is, by far, the 76ers’ best pure point guard.

That’s why it wasn’t surprising that coach Nick Nurse inserted the 18-year veteran in the starting lineup for Friday’s 121-114 victory against the Charlotte Hornets. It’s also why the Sixers (34-25) will keep him there.

“As I said to you [Friday], it was heading that way anyway for the time being,” Nurse said. “Trying to get a different combination. And I think that maybe the combination of [reserve point guard] Cam Payne and [swingman] Kelly [Oubre Jr.] off the bench is a good duo to pair there together. So that’s what I’m trying to get to.”

Bringing Oubre off the bench provides a spot in the starting lineup for Lowry. But let’s not get it twisted. This move is far from just fortifying the bench, especially not after what occurred Friday.

All-Star Tyrese Maxey, who moved off the ball, scored a game-high 33 points as the Sixers snapped a two-game skid with their victory at the Wells Fargo Center. Tobias Harris snapped out of his slump with 31 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. But Lowry’s leadership, court awareness, and clutch play were also major reasons why the Sixers prevailed over the Hornets.

» READ MORE: Tobias Harris breaks out of slump, leads Sixers to a much-needed 121-114 victory over Charlotte Hornets

The six-time All-Star and North Philly native finished with 15 points and 10 assists while making 5 of 9 shots, including 3 of 6 three-pointers. Seven of his points came in the fourth quarter. With the Sixers clinging to a 114-112 cushion, he zipped a pass to Harris for a catch-and-shoot three-pointer that put them up five with 1 minute, 24 seconds remaining.

Then after the Hornets pulled within three, Lowry drained a pair of foul shots with 30.8 seconds left to give the Sixers a 119-114 lead. Three seconds later, Maxey blocked Tre Mann’s dunk, and Lowry grabbed the defensive rebound. He quickly got the ball to Maxey, who was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to put the Sixers up seven.

“You see some of those plays he made at the end of the game, those are the plays when he’s on the other team, you hate the guy for,” Harris said. “But those are winning basketball-type plays. He was so great for us and just calming the group down from time to time, getting into the set that we wanted, and making sure we were organized.

“That’s huge for us. I’ve always said that’s huge for my game. I’m a structure guy. And when he comes in and is able to be in that starting lineup and really put guys in the right position, when we have this good balance and good pace to us, that was big for myself personally and our whole group.”

His leadership wasn’t relegated to when he was in the game. One time after being subbed out, Lowry stood on the sideline and yelled instructions to teammates for an entire defensive possession. That type of leadership is extraordinary for someone who’s been in his teammates’ presence for less than two weeks.

» READ MORE: Sixers sign Blue Coats point guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. to a two-way contract

But Lowry has been leading teammates and mentoring point guards Maxey and Payne since his first practice on Feb. 20.

“I just go out there and do my job,” said Lowry, who signed with the Sixers on Feb. 13. “I feel here, I’m able to have a voice, and I think these guys respect what I’ve gone through throughout my career, so far, and playing against me, now playing with me. And they understand I just want to see them be successful.

“For me, it’s another day at the job, another day at the office. But it’s about making these guys better and making sure that they’re confident and able to play their best basketball no matter the situations, where we are, what it is, and just go out there and be their best.”

But prior to Friday, the Sixers’ remade roster needed to get on the same page and learn how to mesh after acquiring Buddy Hield and Payne at the trade deadline and bringing in Lowry from the buyout market. They’re also mostly struggling to adjust to playing without Joel Embiid, who remains sidelined as he recovers from meniscus tear in his left knee.

Against the Hornets, the Sixers finished with a season-high 38 assists. Lowry made sure everyone was in the right spot while his passes led to high-percentage baskets for teammates.

Critics will argue that performance came against the undermanned and woeful Hornets (14-45), the team with the Eastern Conference’s third-worst record.

The Sixers’ true test will come at 1 p.m. Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.

But Friday’s outing is something they can build on.

» READ MORE: Reserve point guard Cameron Payne asked to be more aggressive in Sixers’ offense

“He did an excellent job and it gets Tyrese [more of a combo guard] off the ball,” Nurse said of Lowry starting at point guard. “It gets him into some other action. … Kyle made a lot of really good plays.

“How many assists did we have tonight? It’s pretty good. He’s getting the ball into the paint and firing it out. And he’s made a couple of threes, and organizing, and things like that. We shall see how it goes.”

Nurse isn’t the least bit surprised by Lowry, who turns 38 on March 25.

The former Cardinal Doughtery and Villanova standout was Nurse’s tough-as-nails floor general on the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship team. Back then, Lowry was three years removed from winning a gold medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

“I think one thing about coach is he’s always given the ultimate trust in me and, like I said, our relationship goes way back,” Lowry said “I think it’s a lot easier ... when you have trust from your head coach ,and then your head coach trusts you to get the other players [involved], and the players just kind of fall into trust with me.

“We got some great guys in this locker room, some great individual talents. My job is to try to make their jobs easier.”

That’s why Nurse had to keep him in the starting lineup.