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By Jalon Dixon
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The Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff hopes are beginning to slip as injuries continue to pile up at the worst possible time. Philadelphia announced Wednesday that an MRI revealed forward Kelly Oubre Jr. suffered a sprain of the lateral collateral ligament in his left elbow. The 30-year-old wing will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, adding yet another key absence to a roster already stretched thin.
The injury occurred during Tuesday night’s 139-129 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Oubre delivered one of his best performances of the season, logging a team-high 38 minutes and scoring a season-high 30 points. He wore a wrap on his elbow after the game.
Despite a hot start to open the season, the Sixers now find themselves quickly falling down the standings and staring at tough Play-In tournament position.
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Kelly Oubre Jr. Injury Adds to Growing Sixers Absence List
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Oubre has played a major role for Philadelphia this season, especially with the team’s wing depth already limited. Across 41 games, he is averaging 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point range.
His shooting efficiency from beyond the arc represents the best mark of his 11-year NBA career. The elbow injury also marks the second ligament sprain Oubre has dealt with this season. He previously missed nearly two months from mid-November to early January due to a left knee LCL sprain.
Philadelphia will now be forced to navigate another stretch without one of its most reliable two-way wings.
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Sixers Enter Crucial Stretch Without Key Stars
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Oubre’s injury comes as the 76ers are already missing several core contributors. For Thursday’s road matchup against the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia will also be without:
- Joel Embiid (right oblique strain)
- Tyrese Maxey (right pinky finger tendon sprain)
- Paul George (league suspension)
- Johni Broome (right knee surgery recovery)
Meanwhile, rookie big man Adem Bona is listed as questionable with back soreness. George will not be eligible to return until March 25, when his 25-game suspension concludes. Maxey is expected to be re-evaluated in roughly three weeks, while Embiid’s recovery timeline remains uncertain.
The mounting injuries have left Philadelphia leaning heavily on its remaining healthy rotation players. Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe has taken on a significant workload, ranking among the league leaders in minutes played this season.
MORE: Sixers’ Playoff Hopes Fading Fast as Injuries Continue to Mount
Play-In Position Becoming Increasingly Realistic
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Philadelphia currently sits at 35-30, but its grip on a safe playoff position is weakening. The Sixers hold only a narrow lead over the Atlanta Hawks, who are riding the NBA’s hottest win streak with seven consecutive victories. They are also just two games ahead of the Charlotte Hornets, tightening the Eastern Conference Play-In race.
The schedule offers little relief. After Thursday’s game against the East-leading Pistons, Philadelphia will face the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings in its next five contests. In other words, the margin for error is shrinking.
What once looked like a surprising, overachieving season for the Sixers is beginning to feel familiar. Injuries have repeatedly disrupted the franchise’s momentum in recent years, and this latest stretch could determine whether Philadelphia enters the postseason with stability or fights just to survive the Play-In tournament.
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