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Sixers’ Injured Veteran Remains Out vs. OKC Thunder

Tuesday's game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the OKC Thunder won't feature the veteran, Robert Covington.

Justin Grasso

Dec 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) and
Dec 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) and / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Soon, the Philadelphia 76ers could get multiple veterans back in the mix. Lately, there’s been a lot of hype surrounding the possible return of the star center, Joel Embiid, who will return on Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in addition to the return of the two-time Sixers wing, Robert Covington.

Throughout the year, both veterans have dealt with knee-related setbacks. While Embiid underwent a surgical procedure back in February, Covington took a long rehab route, which has kept him off the floor since the calendar turned to 2024.

The last time Covington appeared on the court for the Sixers was during their December 30 matchup against the Chicago Bulls. At the time, Covington checked in for just five minutes. Since then, he’s been battling a knee injury, which the team has described as a bone bruise.

After missing Sunday’s outing on the road against the Toronto Raptors, Covington missed his 43rd game in a row. On Tuesday when the Sixers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, Covington will be absent for his 44th consecutive outing.

Recently, there have been signs that Covington could return to the court soon. Last week, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse sounded optimistic about Covington’s chances of getting back at some point during the final weeks of the regular season.

Prior to the Sixers’ Sunday night game against the Raptors, Covington was spotted on the court before the game getting a workout in. The fact that he’s traveling to be around the team as they practice and compete on the road is a positive sign in Covington’s recovery.

While his return could be approaching, the Sixers have not cleared Covington for action just yet. By missing Tuesday’s game, Thursday’s outing against the Miami Heat now marks the next matchup to keep an eye on as a possible return date for both, Covington and Embiid.

Related Reading
Joel Embiid’s Official Injury Report Status vs. OKC Thunder
Robert Covington Takes Important Step Toward Returning to Sixers
Nick Nurse Praises a Former Sixers Veteran

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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