Robert Covington’s reunion with the Philadelphia 76ers started off on a decent note. After getting shipped back East in the trade between the Sixers and the Los Angeles Clippers, Covington was one of the first players in the deal to make his debut, donning his new threads.
Throughout November, Covington played an important role off the bench for the 76ers. In his first 14 games, Covington averaged five points, four rebounds, and 1.3 steals with an average of 18 minutes.
While Covington’s playing time saw a decrease at times, and he even collected two DNPs in December, the veteran was expected to maintain a spot in the rotation throughout the long season. Unfortunately, his run was derailed at the start of the new year due to a lower-body setback.
Lately, Covington’s been dealing with inflammation in his knee. When the Sixers faced the Chicago Bulls on January 2, he was ruled out for the first time since December 20. Since then, Covington has been deemed inactive for Philadelphia. Throughout the stretch, it’s been unclear when Covington could return to the floor.
Ahead of Monday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse didn’t attempt to sugarcoat a brief update on Covington. The head coach concerned the public when he noted that it could be some time before Covington takes the floor again. At that point, the veteran was on pace to miss his tenth game in a row.
When the Sixers face the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, Covington will make it 11 in a row he misses. With the Sixers’ latest update regarding Covington’s injury, it’s become clear that the absence will continue racking up for the time being.
According to a team official, Covington has been receiving treatment on his knee over the past few weeks to address the inflammation. In addition to swelling, Covington is dealing with a bone bruise. The team plans to evaluate Covington again in approximately three to four weeks.
With that update, the best-case scenario for Covington would be for the veteran to get back on the floor for the Sixers’ February 14 matchup against the Miami Heat. If not then, his absence could extend beyond the break, leaving him eyeing up a possible return during the back-to-back set against the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in late February.
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