Without Kelly Oubre Jr., the Philadelphia 76ers bench rotation has been completely disorganized. Through the first several weeks of the NBA season, the 6’7′′ versatile wing seemed to be the steal of NBA free agency.

Oubre was shooting 50% from the field and 38% from three-point range, averaging 16.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. The Sixers forward reportedly sustained broken ribs after being hit by a car in Philadelphia two weeks ago.

First and foremost, the general consensus is that Oubre is doing well and recovering from the incident on both a physical and mental level. Then, when we do talk about his performance on the basketball court, it’s important to remember that going into the season, his offensive game wasn’t always the focus. In the offensive end of the court, he is a bucket and has the ability to create his own shots, which is a very valuable skill in the modern NBA.

Oubre’s defensive efforts have been surprisingly good.

While he isn’t well-known for his consistency or effort level when it comes to defense, Oubre has been a revelation for the Sixers, ranking among the team’s top perimeter defenders along with De’Anthony Melton. It is not surprising that the Sixers are feeling and observing Oubre’s absence given his skill set on both ends of the court.

Regarding Oubre’s possible comeback to the court, the Sixers and he both received some encouraging news this week. He was exercising with the Sixers on Monday for the first time since getting hurt during a team practice. This raises the obvious follow-up query.

When will Oubre return to the Sixers floor?

Listen to Nick Nurse’s response to that question.

There you have it, then! Kelly Oubre Jr. might be able to play for the Sixers as early as next week, which would be an incredible recovery time. As Nurse notes, there are still obstacles, chief among them being his reaction to contract drills, but this news should instill hope in Philadelphia. The Sixers might quickly reunite with their entire roster, but we won’t know for sure until next week.

 

 

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