As expected, the Philadelphia 76ers have already dealt with injuries left and right even at this early juncture of the season. The proverbial injury bug has not gone far enough to matter, and the coaching staff has had to improvise almost on a nightly basis to cope with these absences. Kelly Oubre Jr. is one vital piece who has been sidelined for a good amount of time already, and fans certainly hope he will be back sooner than later.
Luckily for them, Oubre had just taken a step in the right direction for him to make a return. He has not played since November 14, which is more than a month ago, and the 76ers most certainly need to get his solid production back given their rather thing rotation at forward right now.
According to Nick Nurse prior to their looming tip-off against the Nets, Oubre is now back on the court getting some reps, which is the first step for him to return to real action on the hardwood. This is definitely an update which should rev up fans, especially since the veteran forward has been very impressive so far this season.
Kelly Oubre Jr. gets one step closer to returning to the 76ers
“I think this is his first, like, real one. He's been on the court a bit, but I think this is his like—they're putting him through a more of a what you would consider a hard working individual, like, a real session today. So that's a good sign.”
Already missing Trendon Watford and with Paul George still getting his load managed, the 76ers would be more than glad to get Oubre back. Aside from the fact that he is a crucial piece for their depth, he has really grown into his role as the team’s wildcard option in the starting unit.
In his third season with Philly, so far, Oubre has registered impressive averages of 16.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while also tallying nearly two stocks (blocks and steals) a game. He is draining almost 35 percent of his threes as well, which is a significant increase from the meager 29.3 percent success rate he logged last season.
One might say that Oubre may have played way too many minutes, but once he makes his return, he is bound to play less. While that could take a hit on his production, that would allow the coaching staff to integrate him back to his more ideal role as an energizer bunny of some sorts off the bench.
The 76ers need all the help they can get to make sure that their recent stretch of winning continues. The calendar year is getting closer to a halt, and it would be critical to get some momentum with the season slowly creeping into its halfway mark.