From one Martin to another, Caleb and KJ look to give the Sixers defense a boost

The Martins got extended playing time in the opener with the Sixers missing two stars.

Damian Lillard of the Bucks drives past Sixers newcomer Caleb Martin on Wednesday. Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

Published Oct. 24, 2024, 12:07 p.m. ET

After a practice or shootaround, KJ Martin Jr. will spend time talking with 76ers newcomer Caleb Martin. The 23-year-old has been watching Martin since Caleb and his twin brother, Cody, played college ball at Nevada, and there’s an aspect to his game, KJ said, that has always stood out.

“Nevada was recruiting me and they had him, his brother, and a bunch of 6-foot-6, 6-7 guys picking up full-court, playing defense, and stuff like that,” said KJ Martin, who’s entering his fifth NBA season. “He’s played for the Heat the past couple of years, so I know defensively he’s a really good player. I just try to ask him questions on the defensive end, trying to learn how this happens or how to try to fight over this screen. That’s been a guy been I’ve been trying to pick his head about.”

Without All-Stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, KJ Martin and veteran Eric Gordon got the start in Wednesday’s 124-109 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The newcomer had an idea dating back to last week that he would be part of the starting five on opening night, although he said, it wasn’t going to be “a test for me, but for the coaches to see if we can play with each other.”

The initial rotation of Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr., KJ Martin, and Gordon couldn’t find a rhythm. They relied on Maxey, who made just 10 of 31 shots but finished with 25 points, to produce on offense while the defense played “below average” as the Sixers struggled to contain Bucks guard Damian Lillard (30 points).

At halftime, coach Nick Nurse was looking for an offensive spark, so he made the move to start the 29-year-old Caleb Martin, who played the second-highest total of minutes behind Maxey, instead of KJ.

“He’s trying to find his way a little bit. I thought he made good decisions,” Nurse said of Caleb, who collected 12 points and three assists with nine rebounds. “He plays hard, man. He was fighting. He was guarding every guy, we tried to throw him on Giannis [Antetokounmpo], we threw him on [Lillard], we threw him on [Bobby] Portis. He was trying to guard everybody, so that’s good. … Just got to figure out where he fits in and how to use him.”

Most of this new-look Sixers squad will be doing the same thing. Nurse said the biggest struggle Wednesday was the lack of in-game adjustments, especially when guarding Lillard, who scored 15 points in the third quarter.

The eight-time All-Star gave a glimpse of some of the challenges that other top guards in the Eastern Conference will present. The Sixers will be put to the test again when they visit Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers on Sunday after visiting the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

“The guys that are on the floor just [need] a little bit more attention to detail,” Caleb Martin said of the defense. “There’s things that happened through the gaps, I feel like that we went over, that we didn’t execute as well that I think we should [have] and we’re capable of.”

But Caleb Martin said he isn’t going to overreact. It’s the first game, and with new faces — and more of those players having experience on the defensive side of the ball — it will take time, he said, to click and utilize those skills together.

KJ Martin plans to keep those conversations going with Caleb. His goal is to become one of the best defenders on the team this season, and luckily he has two of the top defenders in the league to learn from.

“I think I have the size, strength, and athleticism to do so,” KJ Martin said. “Caleb and Kelly, they push me every day, and I will push them. I think just us staying on top of each other, trying to bring the best out of us three, we could be the best defensive three man in the NBA.”