Kelly Oubre injury update: Nick Nurse gives the latest on 76ers star's return
Kelly Oubre Jr. suffered a fractured rib and is out of the Philadelphia 76ers lineup for at least a week. He was walking in Philadelphia on Saturday night when he was hit by a car and was admitted to the hospital. Sixers coach Nick Nurse said the 27-year-old is resting at home and would be at the facility to observe the team's practice on Tuesday.
Giving an update on the severity of the injury and the timeline for Oubre’s comeback, Nurse said Sunday that Oubre’s return is not the team’s priority right now. He also added that the team medical staff would check on the player after a week. Oubre also has an injured hip and right leg.
"I think we’re going to have about a week go by before we re-evaluate where he’s at," Nurse said, "and then we’ll probably know a little better where he is and what the timeline looks like. That’s where we are right now."
The championship-winning coach said that while he was “hanging out” on Saturday night, he received multiple missed calls from Daryl Morey, the president of basketball operations, and Simon Rice, the VP of athlete care. That’s when he learned about the Oubre accident and was relieved that it wasn't worse than initially thought.
Tyrese Maxey dedicates his 50-point night to Kelly Oubre
Tyrese Maxey had a brilliant Sunday night and had his maiden 50-point game in his career, overshadowing his previous 44-point game. Maxey’s career-high came against the Indiana Pacers, as the Sixers recorded their eighth consecutive win. However, Kelly Oubre wasn’t present to witness the feat.
After the game, Maxey dedicated his performance to his recovering teammate and sent wishes for his fast recovery.
"Man, this had nothing to do with me," Maxey said. "This is all Kelly Oubre, man. We praying for him... Love my dawg. I hope he gets well soon."
In Kelly Oubre's absence, the 76ers won the game 137-126 while the young star torched the Pacers’ defense. His superstar teammate Joel Embiid scored 37 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. With this, the Sixers are at the top of the Eastern Conference table with an 8-1 record.
It is interesting to see Maxey showing his true caliber when James Harden has left the team for the LA Clippers. While Philadelphia is 8-0 in Harden’s absence, the Clippers are 0-4 with him on the roster. Maxey shot 20 of 32 shots from the field and made 7 of 11 shots from beyond the arc.