Kelly Oubre's Out vs. Celtics, Eyeing Return to 76ers Very Soon

When the Philadelphia 76ers hit the road for a two-game road trip earlier this week, Kelly Oubre joined the team for the first time since suffering a fractured rib.

Before the Sixers traveled to New Orleans for their Wednesday matchup against the Pelicans, Nick Nurse mentioned that Oubre would be ruled out for that game. However, the door was left open for Oubre to return to the lineup on Friday against the Boston Celtics.

All signs were pointing in the right direction for that scenario on Thursday. Following a double-digit loss against the Pelicans, the Sixers participated in a practice session, welcoming back Oubre as a full participant for the first time since his injury occurred in early November.

After the practice, Nurse told reporters there was hope Oubre could be listed as questionable, which would be a major step in the right direction for his return. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

The Sixers ruled Oubre out for Friday’s game in Boston. With his upcoming absence, that marks the 11th straight matchup the Sixers veteran would miss. While Oubre will officially wrap up another week without an appearance in the Sixers’ rotation, there is hope he could return next week.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Oubre is targeting a return next week, and there is a chance he could be back for the Sixers’ next game against the Washington Wizards next Wednesday.

The Sixers have four days off between their matchup against the Celtics and their recently added battle against the Wizards. That offers the team plenty of time to get Oubre back in the mix and prepared to resume his 2023-2024 season, where he was off to a hot start.

Prior to his multi-week absence, Oubre averaged 29 minutes on the floor. He started in five of the eight games he played. During that time, Oubre was efficient from the field, knocking down 50 percent of his shots and 38 percent of his threes. He averaged 16 points per game before going out with an injury.

Oubre’s status as a starter is unclear. Prior to his setback, Nick Nurse was already kicking around the idea that Nic Batum could get the starting nod, placing Oubre back into a reserve role. With Batum continuing to thrive, Oubre could be coming back off the bench if and when he returns next week. Either way, the standout reserve will have a notable role on the team, considering he was thriving as a scorer before suffering his setback.