76ers Promote Kelly Oubre for Matchup vs. Timberwolves

The Philadelphia 76ers will shake up their lineup on Wednesday night when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With two players absent, the Sixers’ rotation will look slightly different. Heading into the game, the Sixers knew they would be without their starting forward, Nic Batum. As Batum experienced hamstring soreness down the stretch of Monday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls, the Sixers are going to be cautious and hold him on from Wednesday’s matchup.

In addition to Batum, the Sixers ruled out Robert Covington for the night as he deals with an illness. And while Marcus Morris was questionable for the same reason, the veteran forward has been cleared for action on Wednesday.

While Morris has seen a few starts on the Sixers when the team is shorthanded, he won’t get promoted to the starting five in the absence of Batum. Instead, the Sixers have bumped up Kelly Oubre.

For the first time since his return from a fractured rib, Oubre will start for Philadelphia.

Prior to his 11-game absence, Oubre started in five-straight games for the Sixers. He received a promotion to fill the void of PJ Tucker, who was included in the blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

As a starter, Oubre knocked down 50 percent of his shots from the field, averaging 43 percent from three. He produced 15 points per game over that five-game stretch.

When Oubre returned to the Sixers’ lineup, he came off the bench for his first set of action and stayed in a reserve role for the seven-game stretch. Since returning, Oubre has averaged 21 minutes on the court. He’s been knocking down 47 percent of his shots and hitting on just 30 percent of his shots from deep. Offensively, he’s been the Sixers’ most productive scorer, putting up 11 points per game.

With the lineup tweaked due to a shorthanded roster for the night, Oubre will get a different look than usual. While he’s unlikely to remain in the starting five when Batum returns to action, Wednesday will serve as a good opportunity for the veteran to see an increased role within the starting unit.