When you're watching the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Boston Celtics in this thrilling Round 1 playoff series, one stat might catch your eye: Kelly Oubre Jr.'s offensive numbers have taken a dip. Known for his scoring ability, Oubre is averaging just 9.0 points this series, shooting 38.3% from the floor and a chilly 15.8% from beyond the arc. That's a noticeable drop from his regular-season performance, where he knocked down a career-high 36% of his three-pointers on nearly five attempts per game.

But here's the thing—basketball is about more than just the box score. Head coach Nick Nurse is quick to point out the bigger picture. Oubre has been tasked with guarding some of the league's toughest opponents: Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. These two can give any defender nightmares, but Oubre has stepped up to the challenge, staying in front of them, making their lives difficult, and even crashing the boards.

"Listen, he's had a very, very difficult defensive assignment for lots of minutes every game," Nurse explained. "And I think that's kinda where it starts for me. Those two guys are great—they're big, they're skilled, and they're involved in lots of actions and attempts. I think he's done a good job of just digging in and taking the challenge. It's a lot of minutes and a lot of reps because they have the ball a lot. From that standpoint, he's had a great series."

Indeed, Oubre's length, versatility, and defensive instincts have made him an invaluable piece for Philadelphia, even when his shots aren't falling. He's fighting hard on every possession, giving the Sixers crucial minutes on the defensive end. For Nurse, that effort is more than enough while the team waits for Oubre's offense to catch up.

"I think everything else he can do—if he has a game where he's hitting a few, obviously, that's gonna help us," Nurse added. "I think he only had one front-of-the-rim shot, and he had another one he should've made (referring to Game 5). He got there and came up short, but I still think he sprinkles in a couple of those. A couple of threes, and he's had great games. But some nights, it's just not your night."