Kelly Oubre Jr. talks health, playing with brace in return to Sixers

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CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers have gotten a bit healthier in recent weeks. Kelly Oubre Jr. returned on Jan. 7 after he missed 22 games due to a left knee sprain and he has given the Sixers a spark in many areas.

Oubre is a strong, athletic, and versatile defender who can also put the ball in the basket at a high rate when given the opportunity. In five games since returning from the injury, the offense has been a bit up and down, but his energy has been a big help for Philadelphia as he can do a lot of different things on the floor.

"I think, again, the defensive effort and energy we're going to need from him always," coach Nick Nurse said at practice on Thursday. "I still think he's quite a bit of ways away from where he was when he left us, you know? So there's still some movement and conditioning issues, I think he's going through."

Conditioning for any player is only going to improve with time and being able to attack it by getting reps out on the floor. After playing 26 minutes in the loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, the 11-year veteran is continuing to grow in that area.

"My conditioning is back," Oubre said. "I don't get as fatigued. First couple games I had just, like, that leg shock, which obviously, I like to be effective on both ends of the court. Right now I feel as if, like, I'm most effective on the defensive end, because, first and foremost, that's where my injury started. So I want to push myself to, obviously, get back to guarding the best players, get back to just contesting everything, just being myself, and I've been able to clear a lot of mental blocks in my head on that end."

Since returning from the injury, the offense has been a struggle, but he did have 13 points on Jan. 11 against the Toronto Raptors. That has been his best scoring performance in the five games since his return.

"The Toronto game is probably my best offensive outing, but it was led by my defense, so I can't continue to harp on that," Oubre added. "I put the work in every day. I got to get back to just trusting myself and finding that rhythm and that flow out there with the guys and just adapting to the situation."

He knocked down two triples against the Cavs on Wednesday, and that is something that Nurse and Co. want to see more of.

"It was nice to see him make a couple 3s last night," Nurse added. "I think that the scoring seemed pretty difficult the first couple games for him, but, yeah, I think it's just a little bit of a process for him, but we certainly like having a little bit more size at the guard and wing position with him."

As far as playing with the brace is concerned, Oubre isn't sure how long he needs to have it, but he is trying to work through all of that.

"I don't, man, but at this point, no excuses. Just produce," he continued. "Got to go out there and just try to cut this curve. Obviously, therapists and trainers, everybody tells you it's gonna take the same amount of time to get back to yourself as it did blah, blah. I just want to hoop, man. I want to be good. I want to feel good. Like I said, I didn't come here to fit in. I came here to stand out."

It is bulky. It is cumbersome, but he needs it for a reason, and he knows that.

"I think the brace is a big adjustment, because I got to look down and see it, and it doesn't necessarily hinder my movements, but it's just an extra layer, man, and I would love to have it off, but at the end of the day, if the doctors want me to keep it on, so that whatever happened doesn't happen again," he finished. "I'm comfortable with that, too."

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Kelly Oubre Jr. talks health, playing with brace in return to Sixers

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