Sixers Welcome Maxey Back to Practice, Eye Return of Oubre and Watford
CAMDEN, N.J. - The Philadelphia 76ers were back on the practice floor Wednesday, shifting their focus to Friday’s matchup with the New York Knicks and the long road ahead in the Eastern Conference. With the NBA Cup now in the rearview mirror, the Sixers are looking to reset, regroup, and reestablish their rhythm as the regular season grinds forward.
The biggest development? Tyrese Maxey is back.
After missing two games due to illness, the dynamic guard returned to team practice. And while he’s still shaking off the rust, his presence alone is a welcome boost for a team that split its last two games without him.
“He looked like he’s been off for a little bit,” head coach Nick Nurse said after practice. “It’s been a good chunk of time.
He was in yesterday for some individual work. Today, we got him into some team stuff, but he clearly needs the reps.”
Maxey’s return gives the Sixers a much-needed jolt, especially with the offense occasionally sputtering in his absence. His speed, shot creation, and ability to push the tempo are central to what Philadelphia wants to do on both ends.
But while Maxey is trending in the right direction, the Sixers are still without two key rotation players: Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford.
Oubre, who’s been out since Nov. 14 with a left knee sprain, and Watford, sidelined since Nov. 25 with a left adductor strain, have both progressed to individual on-court work. That’s a sign they’re inching closer to returning, though there’s no official timeline just yet.
The good news? Both players have remained engaged with the team - a subtle but important detail for a group trying to maintain chemistry and continuity.
“It’s great,” Nurse said. “When you see them around, shooting, on the court doing stuff - you know they’re getting closer.
That’s a lot better than when you don’t see them out there. Then you know it’s still a ways off.”
With the calendar nearing the holiday break and a heavy slate of games looming afterward, the Sixers could use reinforcements. Nurse hinted that a return for one - or even both - players might not be too far off.
“I’m hoping it’s going to speed up here,” he added. “We’re getting through almost this month now.
There’s a good chunk of games coming after the holiday. So hopefully we’ll get one back, maybe two back here pretty soon.”
For now, the Sixers will take the win of having Maxey back in the fold. And if Oubre and Watford can follow suit soon, Philadelphia could be heading into the heart of the season with a full deck - and a real shot to climb the Eastern Conference standings.