Jeff Dowtin Jr. stays ready and puts on a show in ‘really cool’ moment against his hometown Wizards

WASHINGTON — Wednesday was a special night for Jeff Dowtin Jr., one he celebrated with family members.

In his first game since March 26, the two-way 76ers player was back in his hometown to face the Washington Wizards. Dowtin did more than just play. He put on a show, scoring a career-high 30 points and nabbing a team-high four steals in the Sixers’ 122-103 victory at Capital One Arena.

“Really cool,” coach Nick Nurse said of Dowtin’s performance. “We were thinking about starting him tonight because he was coming back home, but we’d been in a groove with those other guys a little bit. But he certainly got in a flurry there for a few minutes. … He kept making them. And then they ran more guys at him and he still kept making them. Big night for him. Glad to see. The guys gave him the game ball after the game. Pretty cool.”

» READ MORE: Jeff Dowtin Jr. leads Sixers to 122-103 victory over Wizards, snapping a 12-game losing streak

Dowtin made 11 of 15 shots — including 4-for-7 on three-pointers. His highlight came when he scored 11 straight points on 4-for-4 shooting late in the third quarter. He made two straight three-pointers followed by a jumper before closing the run with a three.

“I always rely on just putting in the work,” Dowtin said when asked about the run. “Just getting that opportunity. Seeing one go in, you feel good. I just stayed confident in my shots. I obviously hit a couple. I got a nice rhythm going in that third quarter and hit a couple more. Everything just felt good tonight.”

It also felt good for him to simply be available to play.

He was last made available when the Sixers faced the Wizards at the Wells Fargo Center 15 days earlier. As a two-way player, he is allotted only 50 regular-season games because he signed his contract before the season for a team with big expectations. But that tide changed, and Dowtin was counted on more than expected. He had been listed as active 48 times by March 26, which made him eligible for just two of the Sixers’ remaining nine games at that time.

So the team held the Upper Marlboro, Md., native out until it faced the Wizards on Wednesday. The former standout at St. John’s College High School in Washington made an impact.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ Nick Nurse calls firings of title-winning coaches ‘a disturbing trend’

“With his journey and what he’s been through, I love seeing his success like this,” Jared Butler said. “Coming from a guy that’s been on a two-way [contract], having a limited amount of games, I know how tough that is. He hasn’t played in two weeks, and he’s dropping 30. Props to him.”

It indeed was a tough situation for Dowtin, who couldn’t always showcase his abilities because of those limitations. But he found a way to stay ready.

“It’s a big challenge,” he said. “I think the biggest thing is having a routine throughout the season. That’s been major for me, whether I’m playing or not playing. Keep the same workout regimen, stay in condition. The player development staff has done a phenomenal job with me this year, just working me out.

“Staying ready, staying poised, having a lot of confidence. … Those are the types of workouts we do throughout the year that have prepared me for games, even when I do have to sit out weeks or days or whatever. So credit to them. I was just able to stay ready.”

And in the process, he made a lot of people happy inside the arena.

Following the game, Dowtin signed autographs and posed for pictures with some of the 30-plus family members in attendance.

“A lot of family,” Dowtin said. “Cousins, uncles, aunts, you name it. Everybody wanted to show their support, and that’s big for me. I really appreciate them, and I’m glad I was able to play a great game for them.”