NBA Hits Philadelphia 76ers Player With Flopping Punishment

Philadelphia 76ers veteran Kelly Oubre received a fine from the NBA on Tuesday.

Jan 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (L) crouches down as Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (R) stands in the background during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Kelly Oubre returned to the Philadelphia 76ers’ lineup with a bang on Monday night. Taking on the Phoenix Suns for the second and final time this season, Oubre showed out against one of his former teams.

However, Oubre was punished one day after the matchup. On Tuesday afternoon, the NBA Official account announced that Oubre had been fined $2,000 upon league office review as it was determined that Oubre flopped against the Suns on Monday.

PHI’s Kelly Oubre Jr. was assessed a postgame Flopping fine of $2,000 upon league office review for https://t.co/u5K3SW9xSC Jan. 6 vs. PHX.

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) January 7, 2025

Monday marked Oubre’s first game back in the lineup for the 76ers. Lately, the veteran wing has been dealing with a hand injury. During the Sixers’ December 30 matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, Oubre sprained his hand during his 36 minutes on the floor.

Heading into the following matchup on the road against the Sacramento Kings, Oubre was downgraded and missed his first matchup of the 2024-2025 NBA season.

The Sixers kept the door open for a potential return for Oubre over the next two games. While he was questionable against the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets, Oubre did not get the nod to play in those games. 76ers head coach Nick Nurse made it clear that Oubre was not dealing with a notable setback.

There was hope for the Sixers to get Oubre back in the lineup for Monday night’s outing against Phoenix. Sure enough, that was the case.

Oubre collected another start in the Sixers’ undermanned lineup. He picked up a 38-minute shift. Taking 18 shots from the field, Oubre made half of his attempts. He ended up scoring 26 points, coming just two points shy of tying his season-high in that department.

In addition to his high-scoring night, Oubre made it a double-double outing as he came down with 11 rebounds. As decent as Oubre’s performance was, the veteran couldn’t help push the Sixers past the Suns. Phoenix snapped their own losing streak and issued the Sixers a 109-99 loss.

"I was just trying to attack, be aggressive, put myself in position to be successful instead of just waiting," Oubre told reporters on Monday. "It worked out. I still feel like I missed a lot of easy ones, and things like that. Free throws were horrendous tonight. But finding that groove, but next game is a new story."

At this point, the Sixers are 14-20 on the year. Winning just 41 percent of their games, the Sixers rank 11th in the Eastern Conference. They are the only non-rebuilding squad outside of the Play-In picture currently.

Ahead of Wednesday’s action against the Washington Wizards, the Sixers trail by two games behind the Chicago Bulls. At 17-19, the Bulls are on a two-game win streak, which has placed them on the heels of the sliding Miami Heat.

The Sixers hope the return of Oubre helps them start to get back on the right track. This season, Oubre has 31 games under his belt. He’s been averaging 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists while shooting 46 percent from the field.

On Wednesday, the Sixers will be back on the court to face the Washington Wizards.

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