76ers' KJ Martin compares Caleb Martin to WWE legend after Christmas Day SmackDown
Yesterday at 11:07 PM
When it comes to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25, no player needed a bigger game on the national stage Christmas Day provides than Caleb Martin.
Initially signed away from the Heat following a bizarrely botched contractual situation that seemingly began the unraveling of Miami’s current veteran core, Martin came with massive expectations at both sides of the ball, but for one reason or another, a combination of personal issues, injuries, and buzzard’s luck, things haven’t gone quite as planned… at least until Christmas day, when, suiting up against Boston, Martin unloaded the clip to the tune of 23 points, three rounds, two assists, and a steal in 38 minutes of action. Martin looked fired up, maybe because he “hates Boston” and was borderline unstoppable from the field and beyond the arc, going 7-9 from 3 and 8-11 overall.
Martin’s play was so downright cold that KJ Martin, watching along from (presumably) home following a stress reaction to his foot, compared his fellow forward’s play to the “Living Deadman” himself, WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker.
KJ Martin reacts to Caleb Martin's big night #Sixerspic.twitter.com/oelPQXGdhI
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) December 26, 2024
Gong! Gong!
Alright, so the idea of comparing Martin to Taker is a bit of a weird one, as Joel Embiid is probably more comparable to the “American Bada**” than the firey, pesky forward who is known for his effort, drive, and passion – he’s probably more of a “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels if we’re being honest. And yet, in this game, when Tyrese Maxey was getting mugged at half-court for most of the fourth quarter, and Embiid was being blitzed whenever he got close to the hoop, Martin showed up over and over again, draining shows from all over the court in the pursuit of Philadelphia’s eighth win in 11 games.
After turning in his best season as a pro in 2023-24 with the Heat, averaging 10.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists as Miami’s fifth starter/sixth man coming off the bench, the Nevada product has taken a slight step back this season despite earning more minutes than in any season besides 2022-23. His points per game have dropped to 8.8 while his rebounds and assists have more-or-less stayed the same, and his field goal percentages are down, too, hitting just 40.4 percent of his shots from the field and 30.5 from beyond the arc.
Could this be the start of Martin playing like vintage Martin, coming on right as the NBA’s trade season really starts to heat up? Could the 76ers soon have five starters in double-digits, with C. Martin splitting the difference between the roles of KJ Martin and Jared McCain now that the duo are both on the injury report? Maybe yes, maybe no; Christmas Day does mark Martin’s best game as a member of the 76ers and his first 20-plus point game, for that matter, too. Still, if this really is the start of something special for Martin, the true beneficiaries of his newfound success are the 76ers as a whole, as, at this point, they could use something good to happen in a season filled with bummer after bummer.
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