Kelly Oubre’s Making Progress, but 76ers Remain Patient With Injury
When the Philadelphia 76ers initially learned about the off-court injury Kelly Oubre suffered earlier this month, there was an assumption that he could miss a significant amount of time. After Oubre received his official diagnosis of a fractured rib, it changed the narrative.
The Sixers weren’t able to put an official timeline on Oubre’s return, but the initial plan was to have him re-evaluated within a week of the diagnosis. The veteran wing was able to participate in some light workouts at the practice facility at the start of his recovery phase.
Last week, the Sixers had Oubre back on the floor and participating in solo workouts. Considering he wasn’t able to participate in any contact drills, Oubre was issued another one-week timeline before a re-evaluation. When Sixers head coach Nick Nurse addressed the state of Oubre’s injury, he left the door open for a possible return sometime this week.
Ahead of Monday night’s blowout victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, Nurse hinted that Oubre was still days away from his return to the lineup. Fortunately, the veteran was around the team this week and even participated in practice in a limited capacity on Tuesday, according to reports.
Will he get the nod to play against the New Orleans Pelicans? Nurse was sure that won’t be the case. As for Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics, he won’t rule that out.
The Sixers’ November 10 matchup against the Detroit Pistons was the last time Oubre took the floor. At the time, he was participating in his eighth-straight game, picking up his fifth start with the 76ers. In 26 minutes of action, Oubre attempted just nine shots. It was one of his quieter nights, as he scored eight points while coming down with eight rebounds.
Monday’s win over the Lakers marked the ninth straight game Oubre missed. As much as the Sixers could use the extra boost from the veteran wing, who was thriving in his role prior to his setback, the Sixers are logically remaining patient with his timeline.
Oubre will make his way back out on the floor much sooner than expected. The hope is that he’s back within days of his second re-evaluation, as Nurse noted last week. If not, the extended timeline shouldn’t stretch too far.