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PHILADELPHIA — Until Nick Nurse is convinced otherwise, he will believe Kelly Oubre Jr. was struck by a fleeing automobile in the vicinity of Broad and Spruce Streets Saturday evening, damaging the Sixer’s ribs among other complications.
“I’m going to believe Kelly at his word and all that stuff,” Nurse said before a game against the Boston Celtics, “and focus on this game and handle things as they come.”
As focused as Nurse may have been, Oubre’s story has begun to blur, at least according to multiple broadcast and print reports that police have been unable to find any video evidence proving there was an accident at a busy downtown corner on a Saturday night.
But since there has not been proof that Oubre fabricated the story, either, that was enough for Nurse to back a player he expects to return to his regular starting lineup within another three weeks.
Though the reports began to drip all day Wednesday, Nurse could not admit to discussing the situation with Oubre.
“I went to see him yesterday,” was as far as the coach would go. “He’s in good spirits. He worked out again today on the (stationary) bicycle, so we are just trying to get him back on the court as soon as we can.”
With that, a Sixers spokesman interrupted a pregame press briefing, saying, “The report is that they don’t have video evidence.” Pressed on whether Oubre has had a detailed conversation with the organization about the incident, Nurse said, “As far as I’m concerned, yes.”
Since the questions about Oubre’s injuries and how they occurred had not yet gone beyond anonymous speculation, Nurse remained unconcerned about it. However, he did pry open a back door, should the reported sources be proven accurate.
“Well it would (be concerning) if it got to that point,” he said. “Listen, as I said, I am going to believe Kelly at his word. I don’t have any other conversations or anything right now to comment on. I’m concentrating on this game. If some more evidence or anything comes to light, we’ll handle it while it comes.”
As he did Tuesday during a loss to Indiana, Nurse handled Oubre’s absence — along with the unrelated personal leave granted to Nicolas Batum — by starting Robert Covington and planning to bump Furkan Korkmaz and Danuel House Jr. up in the rotation. The Oubre issue, though, did not seem likely to fade, with Nurse being questioned about whether the circumstances of an injury could have contract implications. Oubre is on a $2.9 million, one-year deal with the Sixers. Through eight games, five as a starter, he was averaging16.2 points.
“I don’t think it’s very fair to to him to say that he has made up some story,” Nurse said. “I just don’t. I believe him at his word. He is one of our players and we are going to stand behind him. And so am I.”
The reason?
“Because I don’t have any reason,” Nurse said, “not to believe him.”
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Tobias Harris, who required a concussion test after a collision Tuesday against Indiana, was cleared to start Wednesday.
“Tobias is a little sore and a little stiff from that collision, but he’s OK,” Nurse said. “He has toughness, Even last night, he played with a little cold. But he wants to be out there and he wants to play.”
Also green-lighted to participate was Joel Embiid, whose pregame “questionable” status was on brand. He had been reporting hip discomfort and he was, as usual, a game-time decision.
• • •
Batum missed his second consecutive game, complicating Nurse’s job in the continuing absence of Oubre.
According to Nurse, Batum hopes to play Friday night in Atlanta and will definitely be with the Sixers Sunday in Brooklyn.
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De’Anthony Melton, who had been in a scoring lull, shot 8-for-13, was 4-for-6 from distance, made all 10 of his free throws and scored 30 points in the Tuesday loss to the Pacers.
“I was just constantly being aggressive,” he said. “Joel did a great job of keeping all their bigs in foul trouble. I was just attacking the rim, because I knew there wasn’t too much rim protection. I was just staying aggressive. And Joel told me, ‘Just keep going, keep going.’”
Said Embiid: “We always trust him. The last thing we wanted him to do was not shoot it. Make or miss, he has to keep shooting. You just have to keep believing in him.”
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The Celtics played without Kristaps Porzingis, who has a bruised right knee. Also, Jaylen Brown was scratched with an illness.
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