Sixers go with Marshall aka 'Butter' at point guard

ATLANTA – Kendall Marshall will be the 76ers starting point guard for the foreseeable future.

Coach Brett Brown made that announcement during Wednesday's shootaround for that night's game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.

"It's going to be his job to lose," the coach said.

Marshall averaged 3.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while being limited to 16 minutes in his two games back after having surgery in February to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee as a Milwaukee Buck. He signed with the Sixers in the offseason.

A pass-first point guard, Marshall got the nickname "Butter" as a 10-year-old in a Northern Virginia Boys & Girls Club.

"They used to do these little weekly write-ups about the games throughout the week and the sports coordinator who ran the league said, 'He spreads the ball around like it's butter,'" Marshall said. "Since then my family and friends called me that."

Wanting his son to shoot the ball more, Marshall's father used to offer him $20 if he took at least 10 shots a day.  He never received the money.

"It's been a lifelong battle," Marshall said. "He's still trying to get me to shoot more."

Follow 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers