Sixers' Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tobias Harris
Getty
Tobias Harris #12 and Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers huddle before the opening tipoff against the New York Knicks.
For the second game in a row, the Philadelphia 76ers are getting a notable injury boost.
Following a Sixers practice session on Friday, March 27, the starting forward Kelly Oubre Jr broke some news ahead of Saturday’s action against the Charlotte Hornets.
via Derek Bodner, PHLY: Kelly Oubre Jr: “I feel ready to play basketball…I don’t know if I’m breaking news, but I’m playing tomorrow.”
Oubre has been out with an elbow sprain. He was among several notable players on the injury report for an extended period of time.
The last time the Sixers had a chance to roll out Oubre was during the team’s March 10 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Oubre appeared on the court for nearly 38 minutes of action. During that time, the veteran shot 10-24 from the field, struggling with his three-point shot. He made just one of his nine attempts from deep.
Despite the long-range struggles, Oubre still scored 30 points. He contributed to a double-double with 12 rebounds, one assist, two steals, and one block.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 02: Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center on April 02, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Sixers defeated the Grizzlies 139-129 at the time. Just as Oubre had two big scoring games in three matchups, he was hit with his tough injury news.
Since then, Oubre has missed eight games in a row. The Sixers have accomplished a 5-3 record. He gets a chance to help them improve in the Eastern Conference standings with a battle against one of his former teams.
This season, Oubre has 41 appearances on the court. He started 36 of those matchups. The veteran forward is shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.1% from beyond the arc, to average 14.7 points per game. He has also been coming down with 4.9 rebounds per game, and producing 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals.
The Sixers and the Hornets are set for a 6 PM ET tip on Saturday, March 28.