Tag: Robert Covington

Sixers evaluate the play of Kelly Oubre Jr. after win over Wizards

The Philadelphia 76ers evaluate the play of Kelly Oubre Jr. following a win over the Washington Wizards.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to work Kelly Oubre Jr. back into their routine following his 11-game absence due to a fractured rib injury.

Oubre has played three games. Following an easy 146-101 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday, coach Nick Nurse gave his thoughts on what he has seen from the bouncy forward out of Kansas.

“I thought of the three, this one was probably third, maybe, but just again, I think that he really provides some energy up the floor,” Nurse said. “He’s one of our top cutters. You notice he gets that back door cut or double team cut once or twice a game and those are big and when they’re loading up on the ball, and you get a dunk at the basket. I thought he did a lot of things.”

In 17:33 off the bench on Monday, Oubre had seven points and five rebounds. He shot 3-for-8 from the floor and he appeared to force some things, but he played well in this one.

“He maybe forced a couple shots early in the first half a little quick, but other than that, again, what he brings in overall athleticism, speed, and cutting, is good,” Nurse added. “I think he looks like he’s in shape and in rhythm and OK.”

Nurse alluded to it, but Oubre’s athleticism and his ability to produce on both ends of the floor is another piece the Sixers can use.

“He’s looking good,” Robert Covington added. “He’s still building up and it gives Nick another niche to play around with. He looks really good and I’m glad that we got him back and he did really well in his recovery. He took it very seriously and this training staff and everyone was on it so it feels good to have him back and he looks really good.”

The Sixers move on to face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday on the road.

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Sixers discuss having Kelly Oubre Jr. return, adding to scary depth

The Philadelphia 76ers are happy to have Kelly Oubre Jr. back on the floor to add to what they call their “scary” depth.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers have welcomed Kelly Oubre Jr. back to practice at full capacity as he returned from a rib fracture he suffered from being struck by a vehicle on Nov. 11.

The Sixers are welcoming back a player who can put the ball in the basket, defend at a high level, and add athleticism to the roster. The Sixers began the season 7-1 with Oubre. They were 5-6 without him. Obviously, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey also missed time, which contributed to that 5-6 record, but Oubre is an important piece.

“We felt it,” coach Nick Nurse said of Oubre’s absence. “I just always said he’s a little different than anybody we got with his athleticism, speed, attacking defensive capabilities and then he is able to provide some support from the 3-point line, too. So, yeah, I mean, we missed him.”

Not only is Oubre a productive player on both ends of the floor, but he’s also a great teammate. The Sixers missed having him around the team, and he has looked good in practice.

“It feels great to have him back,” Robert Covington said. “He’s brought a lot of intensity. He’s moving the ball well, making the right plays, like I said, it’s just great to have him back. He’s done a lot for us so at the end of the day, that’s a big piece that’s gonna make us that much more of a deep threat.”

With the Sixers missing so many key pieces of late, Nurse has been able to see what he has in Marcus Morris Sr. and KJ Martin. With the return of Oubre and the other pieces on the roster getting more time to show what they can do, the Sixers have many players they can rely upon.

“It’s scary,” Covington added. “Very scary. The way Nick has put us in a position to succeed. Everyone’s gonna be able to thrive with the way that we’re doing things and the way he’s implementing and trying to figure out lineups, the amount of guys and the amount of versatility we have is, like I said, very scary.”

Nurse and the Sixers can now resume figuring out the rotations with a full complement of players.

“That’s what we have an 82-game season for,” Covington finished. “Try to find out which rhythm works for different guys and which guys match up. We have so many different guys that do so many different things it’s just matching up who can work well and that’s gonna make us the most effective.”

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Robert Covington moves up on Sixers’ list of games with 5 steals

Robert Covington moved up on the list of games with at least five steals in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Philadelphia 76ers put up an impressive fight on Friday when they went toe-to-toe with the East-leading Boston Celtics on the road. Despite missing Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Nic Batum and other pieces, the Sixers gave themselves a chance to win the game.

Alas, they came up short, 125-119, for a second consecutive loss, but the Sixers should be proud of the effort on the road.

Robert Covington hopped off the bench and had 18 points, five rebounds and five steals. He moved up on Philadelphia’s list of games with at least five steals. He now has 14 such games with the Sixers, passing Thaddeus Young and Hall of Famer George McGinnis on the list.

In 16 games with the Sixers since being acquired in the James Harden deal, Covington is averaging 5.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 39.5% from deep. His production off the bench has been an important piece of this team’s success.

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Robert Covington continues to get comfortable in 2nd Sixers go-around

Robert Covington continues to find his comfort level in his second go-around with the Philadelphia 76ers.

BOSTON — The Philadelphia 76ers needed somebody to set the defensive tone against the Boston Celtics on Friday, so they turned to Robert Covington. The Celtics were getting everything they wanted on the offensive end, and coach Nick Nurse needed a stopper.

Covington entered the game, and he immediately wreaked havoc. He had three steals in the first quarter and finished with five. He also had 18 points while drilling three 3s and making all seven of his free throws.

It wasn’t enough to make up for the absence of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Nic Batum in a 125-119 loss to the Celtics, but Covington made a huge impact. It was easily his best game since returning to Philadelphia via the James Harden trade.

“Like I said, the more and more games I get under my belt, the more and more I’m gonna get comfortable within the offense and defense,” Covington said after the loss. “Learning the terminology. Learning the little things that they do. How we are gonna guard. It’s gonna all come together.”

When Covington was last in Philadelphia, he and the Sixers were different. Nurse runs different schemes than Brett Brown, who was the coach in Philadelphia in Covington’s first go-around. It takes time to learn different terminology and to find that comfort level with a new team.

Covington has made a big impact on the defensive end, and he is finding where he fits in with the Sixers on both ends. He was terrific on Friday in Boston.

“I think that’s what he kind of does,” Nurse said of Covington. “He makes plays. He’s a loose ball finder, good anticipation as a weak side defender, and I thought he stepped into — he turned into the 5-man for a little bit. We were trying to pick-and-pop their size a little bit and he turned into that and made a couple of good plays.”

Covington was part of a group that put up a big fight against the East-leading Celtics. There are no moral victories in the NBA, but the Sixers can take silver linings from this one.

“I think again, our guys just across the board,” Nurse added. “We were fighting and I thought again, I thought we totally outplayed them and just didn’t get any breaks at the end.”

Philadelphia has a next-man-up mentality in these situations, and Covington epitomized that.

“This was a good game,” he explained. “We came out and did what we supposed to and gave ourselves a chance. That’s what coach talked about. We down guys, but we got 10 guys. Everybody’s gonna play and that’s what happened.”

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Nick Nurse, Sixers welcomed recovering Kelly Oubre Jr. back at practice

Nick Nurse and the Philadelphia 76ers welcomed Kelly Oubre Jr. back to the practice floor as he continues to recover from his injuries.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers returned to work on Monday following a road win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. They are looking to build on their 10-3 record.

The Sixers welcomed Kelly Oubre Jr. back to the practice floor for the first time since the veteran was struck by a vehicle on Nov. 11. He suffered a rib fracture as well as injuries to his hip and right leg.

“That was his first day back on court,” said coach Nick Nurse. “Simon (Rice) has told me that today and tomorrow are pretty critical in the evaluation. I think getting him moving was the first step. Getting him into some contact and things is the next step and then, I think, after tomorrow, we’ll have a little bit better read of the timeline.”

Oubre wasn’t doing anything live on Monday, but he did cardio work and did some light shooting.

The Sixers have yet to give an update on a timeline for Oubre’s return to the floor. His return on Monday is reason for optimism, but Nurse and the Sixers haven’t thought about any of that yet.

“I haven’t really zeroed in on thinking about the timeline, to be honest with you,” Nurse admitted. “I knew it was gonna be a little bit before we knew, but I think he’s moving pretty good today and I think that’s the first positive sign so we hope the sooner the better. That’s for sure.”

Oubre being back on the floor is a big step in the right direction. However, this is just one step. Nurse laid out a bit of a plan to get him going again for Philadelphia.

“I think getting him into some action where there’s some contact,” he explained. “I think they’ll go some type of drill work where there’s some live against maybe development coaches, things like that will be the very next step and then we just gotta progress it to live scrimmaging before he gets back out on the court.”

The Sixers have been a tight-knit group to begin the season under Nurse. Oubre has received support from teammates and that was the case on Monday as they welcomed him back.

“Just his energy, obviously,” said Patrick Beverley. “Obviously, you miss his play, but just his swag, his energy, just good to see his face. Just good to know he’s cool. We’re supporting him through it all, so it’s just good to have him back out here.”

As long as Oubre is progressing, the Sixers will be there to support him through it all.

“It was good to see him in good spirits and everything and get to see him getting up and down,” Robert Covington added. “He said his recovery has been going well. He feels pretty good. So it’s just a matter of we’re just waiting.”

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Robert Covington still working on understanding terminology with Sixers

Robert Covington is still working on understanding the terminology within the offense for the Philadelphia 76ers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are still working on getting their new additions integrated within their system on both ends of the floor.

With Nic Batum away from the team due to personal reasons and Kelly Oubre Jr. out with a rib fracture, Robert Covington has stepped into the starting lineup.

Covington had 16 points in Wednesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics on 6-for-13 shooting. He was 0-for-5 from deep, but they were mostly good looks as he continues to figure out how the Sixers run things.

“I’m getting better,” said Covington. “I’m still learning the terminology. I feel more comfortable, but it’s just once I’m more fluid — like getting another week or so. Most likely by December, everything will be much easier. It’ll be a lot more fluid.”

A big component of how Nick Nurse runs the offense in Philadelphia is the movement of players off the ball. When Joel Embiid is getting doubled in the post or if Tyrese Maxey is running into some trouble, players have to take advantage of the attention they’re receiving from the defense and cut to find open looks.

“Just knowing the offense more,” Covington added. “Like more wrinkles, ways that the team guards, certain ways that I can make myself more available. One thing that coach talked about a lot was cutting and you know doing the little things and that’s what got me a lot of good looks and created a lot of looks for my teammates because, like I said, it’s just getting out and doing something that makes less selfish for the team.”

The veteran out of Tennessee State found success moving without the ball against the Celtics as he was able to find some offensive rebounds for putbacks. That’s something that obviously helps, but he has to be able to knock down open looks from deep as well.

“I think he’s capable of it,” Nurse added on Covington. “I really liked that he was on the glass. I thought he was making a real conscious effort to get us some extra possessions there. We’re gonna need some of his perimeter shooting, right? He got everything inside the line. We’re gonna need some of his perimeter shooting.”

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Robert Covington impressed with rising Sixers star Tyrese Maxey

Robert Covington has been impressed by Philadelphia 76ers rising star Tyrese Maxey’s growth and stellar play.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Young Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey continues to turn heads to begin the 2023-24 season. The fourth-year guard has taken over the starting point guard job and is averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 48% from the floor.

The most impressive thing about Maxey’s stellar play is his ability to take care of the ball. He’s averaging 1 turnover per game, and he has found a way to affect the game whenever the time calls for it.

The biggest example was a Nov. 8 win over the Boston Celtics when he struggled before taking over in the fourth quarter to help the Sixers win.

“Man, he’s a grown superstar,” said Robert Covington at practice on Saturday. “We was talking — we was talking about fourth quarter Maxey. The last two games, he’s been phenomenal. He stepped up and made a lot of big plays and that’s what he’s gonna have to do. He has the ball in his hand. I told him that’s your role. Like that’s your position now. Like you take on a challenge, and he’s been phenomenal”

The trade of James Harden has fully put the ball in Maxey’s hands, and the Sixers are following his lead. There will be a bump in the road here and there, but the young guard from Kentucky has been absolutely terrific to begin the season.

“I’ve been a fan of Maxey for years,” Covington added. “When he first came in, everybody was talking about, how can we acclimate it, but he’s taken on that challenge and he’s grown and that’s what you do. When people have the opportunity when that ball’s in your hands, you grow and he’s taking on the challenge full throttle.”

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Robert Covington gives update on comfort level in return to Sixers

Robert Covington gives an update on his comfort level in his second go-around with the Philadelphia 76ers.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Robert Covington is in his second go-around with the Philadelphia 76ers after being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in the big James Harden trade. Covington played parts of five seasons with the Sixers before he was sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2018 Jimmy Butler deal.

In his second stint with Philadelphia, RoCo is averaging 3.4 points and 2.2 steals in a role off the bench. He is a floor spacer who can also make a difference on the defensive end. He knocked down a 3 and had four steals in Friday’s win over the Detroit Pistons on the road.

Now back with the Sixers for about a week, he has begun to understand coach Nick Nurse’s style on both ends of the floor.

“I’m getting the offense underway,” he explained. “I’m a lot better and more comfortable with that. Understanding the principles on defense. A lot more freedom. Simple and like I said, Nick’s been doing a great job of acclimating us into everything so it has been a smooth transition thus far.”

Covington was a big help in the Sixers being able to turn the game around against the Pistons. Despite the fast start by Detroit, the Sixers didn’t panic. They buckled down on the defensive end and slowed Pistons rising star Cade Cunningham.

“They came out with a different intensity,” Covington explained. “They came out and jumped on this early, but that’s part of the NBA. We stood that. We didn’t go the opposite way. You know how those types of games can go. You can fold or you can come together and rally together.”

Covington’s continued understanding of how Nurse wants to play and his role within the team certainly contributed to being able to get the job done. The Sixers made adjustments to their schemes at halftime, and Philadelphia rallied.

“We went into the locker room, made a couple adjustments, what we said we was gonna do,” Covington finished. “We came out, executed pretty well in that third quarter. We really jumped out and that’s what was the X factor in the game.”

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Nick Nurse, Sixers discuss lessons learned from road win over Pistons

Nick Nurse and the Philadelphia 76ers discuss the lessons learned in a road win over the Detroit Pistons.

CAMDEN, N.J.–The Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in an early hole on Friday when they paid a visit to the Detroit Pistons. The young, short-handed squad in Detroit gave the Sixers all they could handle as they held a 16-point lead early.

Eventually, the Sixers made their adjustments and they rallied to lead by as many as 17 on their way to a 114-106 win in their first in-season tournament game. Philadelphia completely turned the game around after the slow start.

As the Sixers got back to work at practice on Saturday, coach Nick Nurse and the Sixers discussed some lessons learned as they move forward.

“We were pretty mindful of the coverages we were starting in that would possibly give them a crack at some mid-range jump shot and they just happened to make every one of them,” said Nurse. “I mean, you probably know sometimes what your best coverages are in a game, but you don’t want to use them the entire time, because they just don’t have enough of a shelf life. So there’s a little bit of that, but it’s also more of us just not quite being alert and ready to go.”

Nurse is right about the mid-range jumpers. Pistons star Cade Cunningham started 4-for-4 on the night as he was walking into easy looks from the mid-range and Detroit was able to get off to the hot start.

Eventually, the Sixers made adjustments. Nurse put Kelly Oubre Jr. on Cunningham and Philadelphia forced him into play in a crowd more and he saw more defenders as he finished 4-for-18 the rest of the night after the hot start.

“We can’t take anybody lightly,” added Oubre Jr. “I don’t think we did, but they played harder than us. They play really physical already. That’s their identity as a team and we just have to go in there with our game plan and be efficient, aggressive, and pretty much punch first.”

The fact that the Sixers didn’t panic and were able to stay together and rally is a sign of a team that has grown in the mental toughness area.

“It’s gonna happen,” added Robert Covington. “It’s part of NBA. That’s why you play 48 minutes. Teams are gonna make runs. They made their run very early. They was into it, their energy was—they was more physical than us, but we turned around in the second half and we calmed down and we just rallied and got together and we did what we supposed to do.”

The Sixers will play host to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday looking to keep the winning streak going.

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Sixers’ Nick Nurse talks Kelly Oubre Jr. starting, new guys getting time

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse discusses Kelly Oubre Jr. continuing to start as well as the new guys possibly joining the rotation.

PHILADELPHIA — As the Philadelphia 76ers move forward sans James Harden, questions about the starting lineup and playing rotation surround the Sixers.

The big pieces in the Harden deal are the picks acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. However, the Sixers received four players from LA who can help them on the floor: Nic Batum, Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Sr. and KJ Martin.

Coach Nick Nurse has also found a lineup that works with Kelly Oubre Jr. stepping into the lineup to join Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid. Nurse recently said he’d like to have Oubre Jr. move back to the bench due to his offensive production for the second unit, but it looks like this will be a game-by-game evaluation for him.

“I’ve gotten some new information since I said that,” he said with a smile. “So I think I’ll just continue to evaluate it. I think that we were bringing him off the bench and I liked him there, and now we’re starting him and we like him there, too so I think we’re gonna have to see how it goes as we move forward.”

Then there’s the playing rotation. With Oubre Jr. starting and Nurse trying to integrate the new guys, he has to find ways to get them on the floor and into games.

“When you’re looking at this and trying to make these decisions, I always say I can only go off of what I see,” he explained. “Kelly, for example. Furk (Korkmaz), for example. We’ve given Furk a shot and he’s played good in both games, so that’s kind of our current information and Kelly’s started and played well. It’s kind of probably silly to make changes or use somebody else or change the rotation if the information’s good. On we go with evaluating it.”

In terms of the new guys, Nurse hinted Batum, Covington and possibly Morris could join the rotation as soon as Monday against the Washington Wizards.

“I think we’ll certainly play Covington and Batum tonight (Monday) and Marcus, probably,” he added. “We’ll see how it goes.”

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