Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is inching closer to a return from the left knee sprain that has sidelined him since Nov. 14. Head coach Nick Nurse said the 30-year-old could suit up before the club’s current road trip ends Saturday at Madison Square Garden, provided Oubre completes a five-on-five scrimmage Friday without setbacks.
Oubre has already taken part in three-on-three work on Monday and a four-on-four session Wednesday. “I don’t feel any pain or shortness after workouts, which is a good sign,” he told reporters, adding that the final call rests with team doctors and athletic trainers.
With Oubre and forward Trendon Watford (adductor) both in the final stages of rehab, Philadelphia is close to fielding a full roster for the first time in more than a year.
Power-Forward Minutes by Committee
Nurse said Paul George will “mostly” log minutes at small forward even after Oubre returns. The coaching staff expects to fill the power-forward slot by committee, citing George, rookie Dominick Barlow, Oubre and rookie center Adem Bona as options. “It just depends on who we’re playing,” Nurse explained. “Hopefully we can be versatile enough to figure out what we’re doing in all those different lineups.”
Grimes Adjusts to Smaller Role
Guard Quentin Grimes averaged 11.8 field-goal attempts over his first 24 games but has dipped to 7.5 attempts in the past six. With Joel Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey healthy, that trend may continue. Still, Maxey praised Grimes’ versatility: “He can get hot, make threes, drive the ball and play defense. He fits with a lot of lineups.”
Embiid Feeling Better on Defense
Embiid’s scoring has climbed to 29.2 points per game during his last six starts, yet the 2023-24 MVP said his improved health is most noticeable at the other end. “Physically, where I felt most like myself is defensively,” he said. “I’m getting back to blocking shots and being that defensive presence.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
