Cameron Payne brings cant-miss joy (and buckets) to Sixers in Game 3 win over Knicks NBC Sports Philadelphia [Video]

Cameron Payne knew what the Sixers required and had no doubt he could provide it.

“That’s my niche,” Payne said Thursday night after the Sixers beat the Knicks and cut their first-round playoff series deficit to 2-1. “I’m just that ‘Whatever you need’ kind of guy. And tonight we needed energy, and I brought it.”

The 29-year-old backup guard helped jolt the Sixers’ offense into top gear following the team’s 2-for-11 first quarter from three-point range.

Over the first 100 seconds of the second quarter, Payne assisted one triple and drained two. He played with ample pace, joy and self-belief as a valuable No. 4 scorer behind Joel Embiid (50 points), Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. Payne ended the evening with 11 points, three assists and two blocks in 16 minutes. 

De’Anthony Melton was available to make another return from his lumbar spine injury, but Sixers head coach Nick Nurse opted for Payne and liked what he saw. 

“He was awesome,” Nurse said of the Sixers’ trade deadline pickup …