Tag: De’Anthony Melton

De’Anthony Melton discusses back issue after return in Sixers win

De’Anthony Melton gives an update on his back issue after his return for the Philadelphia 76ers in a win.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers got a bit healthier on Friday as they welcomed De’Anthony Melton back to the lineup in a 104-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The versatile guard had seven points in 16 minutes off the bench after missing roughly five weeks due to lumbar spine stress response.

Melton is an important piece of what the Sixers want to do. He is another option on the perimeter on the offensive end with his shooting ability and he is somebody who is going to get after it on the defensive end of the floor. He played a role in Friday’s win over the Cavs.

“Man, I think just from the time waking up I think I was just excited finally knowing I’ll be able to suit it up with my teammates, and stuff like that,” Melton said. “I felt pretty good. Got the proper stuff that I needed. Mentally I was just wanting to go out there and do whatever I can to help my team.”

There were times out there when he looked a bit winded, but considering it’s his first game back since Jan. 12, that is to be expected.

“Conditioning’s an issue, but I think he looked bouncy and springy and athletic tonight,” coach Nick Nurse said of Melton. “He guarded well and he sprung right into that first 3-ball and he got tied up a little bit playing one-on-one but again I thought he looked like he was moving really good early. I think conditioning caught up with him. It’s been about a month so he’s gonna take a couple games before he’s ready to probably play some extended minutes at top athletic ability.”

Tyrese Maxey, who is a close friend of Melton’s on the team, was very happy to see him back on the floor.

“Oh, my goodness. Yes. Yes,” Maxey said. “I was just telling him I was so happy to see him just active. Reaching and hacking and fouling and doing all the De’Anthony Melton stuff that he does and it just he looked happy. He looked excited. He looked bouncy. Looked springy and I’m glad we got him for a long haul.”

A back injury can be tricky. The Sixers want to take things slow with Melton as he moves forward and Philadelphia wants to make sure he is going to be ready for the big games and matchups in the future.

“Just physically taking hits,” Melton said of any challenges at the moment. “Taking hits and landing and stuff like that has been the biggest thing. When I first got out there, I was a little nervous just to hit somebody off rip, but once I hit somebody, I felt pretty good about how the back responded. Now it’s just pretty much mentally and staying on top of my rehab.”

The Sixers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Sunday.

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Full injury report for De’Anthony Melton, Sixers vs. Knicks at home

Here is the full injury report for De’Anthony Melton and the Philadelphia 76ers as they take on the New York Knicks at home on Thursday.

The Philadelphia 76ers will get back at it on Thursday when they take on the New York Knicks at home. Philadelphia is fifth in the Eastern Conference coming out of the All-Star break, a half game behind the Knicks.

The Sixers continue to be short-handed. Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus procedure), De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) are out.

Embiid will be reevaluated in early March. Melton was at practice on Wednesday, but he will remain out and hasn’t remained out since Jan. 12. Covington hasn’t played since Dec. 30.

Nic Batum is listed as questionable due to a left hamstring strain. He hasn’t played since Jan. 29.

Tobias Harris, who missed the final two games before the All-Star break due to a left hip impingement, is not listed on the injury report.

Tip off on Thursday between the Sixers and the Knicks is set for 7 p.m. EST from the Wells Fargo Center.

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Coach Nick Nurse provides update on Nic Batum, other injured Sixers

Coach Nick Nurse gave an update on Nic Batum and the other injured members of the Philadelphia 76ers.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers returned to practice on Wednesday to prepare for the final 28 games of the season following the All-Star break. The Sixers are 32-22 and fifth in the Eastern Conference as they head into this stretch run of the season.

The Sixers need to get healthy to make a serious run in the Eastern Conference. Not only will they need Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus) to return, but they also need Nic Batum, De’Anthony Melton, Robert Covington and Tobias Harris back on the floor.

Batum hasn’t played since Jan. 29 due to a left hamstring strain. Melton hasn’t played since Jan. 12 due to lumbar spine stress response, and Covington hasn’t played since Dec. 30 due to a bone bruise in his left knee. Harris missed the final two games before the All-Star break due to a left hip impingement.

“Yeah, everybody was in today,” said coach Nick Nurse after practice. “Everybody was in the full practice other than Covington and Joel, obviously.”

It appears that the Sixers will get at least one of Batum and Melton back from injury on Thursday against the New York Knicks. Philadelphia will need versatility on both ends of the floor.

“I think Nico looks pretty likely,” Nurse added. “Melt, we’ve probably just got to make sure he’s OK tomorrow morning. I’d say we’ll get one, maybe both, but one for sure.”

As far as Covington is concerned, the veteran out of Tennessee State doesn’t appear any closer to a return. Nurse is not sure when he will have him back on the floor.

“Not that I know of,” Nurse said of any Covington progression. “I did check with (VP of Athlete Care) Simon (Rice) today about where his status was, and he said probably return to play in like three weeks. So that’s out there a bit, but he did say that’s kind of what he thought today.”

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Nick Nurse had De’Anthony Melton, other injured Sixers return to practice

Coach Nick Nurse had De’Anthony Melton and the other injured Philadelphia 76ers return to practice on Tuesday.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers got back at it on Tuesday as the continue to grow as a team under the guidance of coach Nick Nurse. Following a terrific road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, the Sixers got to their facility for practice.

Philadelphia had some players return on Monday as well. De’Anthony Melton, Nic Batum, and Tobias Harris were all at least able to participate in some of practice on Tuesday. Melton hasn’t played since Jan. 12 due to lumbar spine stress response, Batum hasn’t played since Jan. 29 due to a left hamstring strain, and Harris is dealing with a left hip impingement.

“De’Anthony, Nico, and Tobias all did partial today,” said coach Nick Nurse. “That probably doesn’t get us much closer to knowing what’s going to happen for tomorrow yet. They were on the court for what they could do today.”

The Sixers will take on the Miami Heat on Wednesday for their final game before the All-Star break. The break will allow those guys to continue to rest up and heal from their nagging injuries going forward.

“It should be,” Nurse said of the break. “Hardly anybody is not at least tired, or nicked up or banged up a little bit, right? So it should give us a chance to get a few guys back — and then there are a couple guys that are probably playing through a little bit of stuff as well. I think probably the best news of it all is I think everybody’s finally out of the sickness for now — actually on the other side of it. So that’s also good news.”

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Full injury report for De’Anthony Melton, Sixers vs. Warriors at home

Here is the full injury report for De’Anthony Melton and the Philadelphia 76ers against the Golden State Warriors at home.

The Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday as they look to get back on track. The Sixers have lost six of their last seven games and are searching for ways to win while short-handed.

For the time being, the Sixers will be without Joel Embiid. The big fella will be reevaluated in four weeks after undergoing a procedure to repair a meniscus injury in his left knee.

As for the other injured Sixers, De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response), Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) and Nic Batum (left hamstring strain) are listed as out against the Warriors.

Melton has not played since Jan. 12 due to his back injury flaring up again, but he has done some on-court work in practice recently. Covington has not played since Dec. 30, and coach Nick Nurse said there isn’t any light at the end of that tunnel. Batum hasn’t played since Jan. 29.

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Sixers provide injury updates on De’Anthony Melton, Robert Covington

The Philadelphia 76ers provide the latest injury updates on De’Anthony Melton and Robert Covington before their road trip.

CAMDEN, N.J. — As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for a grueling five-game road trip, they are looking to pick up some wins while getting healthy.

The Sixers have been without De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response) since a Jan. 12 win against the Sacramento Kings. He missed four games with lumbar spine soreness and returned for two games, but coach Nick Nurse and the staff didn’t like the way he was moving. They have sat him in a bid to get him right for the second half of the schedule.

Melton has completed an offloading period and will begin ramping up his activity ahead of his return to play. He will travel with the Sixers and will be re-evaluated in a week.

Then, there’s Robert Covington who hasn’t played since Dec. 30 due to left knee inflammation. He has received treatment over the previous three weeks to address the inflammation and the bone bruise. He is listed as out and will be re-evaluated in 3-to-4 weeks.

Along with the injuries to Melton and Covington, the Sixers are looking to get Marcus Morris Sr., Patrick Beverley, Mo Bamba and Jaden Springer back in the lineup. They have missed some games recently due to their own issues.

“Marcus Morris, Pat, Jaden Springer were all in practice today (Wednesday),” said coach Nick Nurse. “Mo and Melt are still on the — Mo did some individual work. Melt is getting ready to do some as well. So those guys are not ready, but the rest of them should be OK by tomorrow barring anything else.”

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Nick Nurse gives updates on De’Anthony Melton, other injured Sixers

Coach Nick Nurse gives an update on De’Anthony Melton and the other injured Philadelphia 76ers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers continue to grow under coach Nick Nurse and learn the way he wants them to play. To do that, they need everybody to be on the floor and be healthy.

As the Sixers get set for the San Antonio Spurs on Monday at home, they will be missing:

  • De’Anthony Melton due to lumbar spine stress response
  • Patrick Beverley due to an illness
  • Mo Bamba due to right knee inflammation
  • Robert Covington due to left knee inflammation
  • Jaden Springer due to right ankle tendinitis
  • Marcus Morris Sr. due to left foot plantar fasciitis

Before the matchup with the Spurs, Nurse updated the conditions of Melton and the other injured Sixers.

“OK, so let’s go through them all really quick,” Nurse stated. “Pat Bev is still sick so we’re hoping he’ll get better and be back shortly. Marcus we’re hoping as well this is a one-game thing with him. Cov is out for a good chunk yet I think, but we’re hoping to get a bigger update on that. Melt is the one that’s probably a little closer. We should get a good eval on our next practice whenever that is Tuesday or Wednesday. Jaden is also kind of day-to-day and I think Mo is day-to-day as well.”

Covington has not played since Dec. 30 as he recovers from the knee issue. One has to wonder when he will be able to return. The Sixers have a five-game road trip following this home contest.

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Kelly Oubre Jr., Sixers ready to step up in place of De’Anthony Melton

Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Philadelphia 76ers are ready to step up in place of the injured De’Anthony Melton.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are once again looking to rely on others to step up in place of an injured starter.

De’Anthony Melton, who missed three games with lumbar spine soreness,  returned to the floor for two games before the injury acted up again. He has missed the team’s last two games and will miss Philadelphia’s upcoming road matchups with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Hornets.

Coach Nick Nurse said the Sixers will rely on their depth to replace Melton just as they have all season. That means Kelly Oubre Jr. must step up and produce just as he has.

“Honestly, we just gotta continue to stay together,” Oubre said of his role without Melton. “Uplift him in his time of healing and pretty much just keep on doing what we’ve been doing. We work on every day. We all get each other better so we kinda know the tendencies of each other so just going in there and try to fill that role.”

Along with Oubre, the Sixers can turn to Patrick Beverley and Nic Batum to step in and help get the stops necessary without Melton on the floor.

“We’re deep,” Beverley added of missing Melton. “I don’t think we’re missing anything. Obviously, a guy like that you want to have. A shot maker this, his ability to block shots in transition. So obviously you miss that, but we’re a deep team and we come in waves and we’ve been doing it the last couple games.”

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Nick Nurse explains how Sixers replace injured De’Anthony Melton’s production

Coach Nick Nurse explains how the Philadelphia 76ers will look to replace the injured De’Anthony Melton’s production.

PHILADELPHIA — Once again, the Philadelphia 76ers are looking to find ways to replace what they are missing from an injured starter. De’Anthony Melton will miss at least the matchups with the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Charlotte Hornets as he works through his lumbar spine injury.

Melton missed three games with lumbar spine soreness before returning for two games and is now out due to what the team is calling lumbar spine stress response.

Coach Nick Nurse now has to figure out how to replace Melton’s production. He is one of the top defensive players in the league and he spearheads Philadelphia’s defensive attack in terms of slowing down opposing guards.

“We gotta figure it out, right?” said Nurse. “It’s gotta be a little more Nico (Batum), a little more Pat (Beverley), a little more Kelly (Oubre Jr.). I thought Kelly had a good first half yesterday (Monday) defensively. Much better than he’s kind of been.”

With Melton out, the Sixers do have options. Obviously, as Nurse pointed out, they do have other perimeter defensive options. Those players will have to step up in the absence of Philadelphia’s top defender. Especially, Oubre in this situation.

“I kinda challenged him on some of that stuff and he’s taken the challenge so continue to get him back in rhythm,” Nurse added of Oubre. “I think Kelly’s the natural kind of fit because we were playing without him for quite a bit. He’s the natural one to take over kind of Melt’s 2-guard position and the kind of defensive–he’s a playmaker on D, right?”

Oubre, like Melton, can get his hands on a lot of balls on the defensive end of the floor. The Sixers will need him to continue to do so and force turnovers to help Philadelphia get out in transition and get fast break points.

“He’s a playmaker like Melt is,” Nurse finished. “Melt darts in and get his hands on a lot of balls, gets a lot of steals. Kelly can be the same.”

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Sixers taking long-term approach with De’Anthony Melton’s injury recovery

The Philadelphia 76ers are taking a long-term approach when it comes to De’Anthony Melton’s injury recovery.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers will be without De’Anthony Melton on Monday against the Houston Rockets due to the lumbar spine injury that recently flared up again.

Melton missed three games due to the injury and returned to play in two games. Now, he is back on the sidelines, and coach Nick Nurse wants to take the long-term approach when it comes to his versatile guard.

“So the De’Anthony thing — listen, you guys know he played and he was OK,” said Nurse on Monday. “He could’ve continued playing. This is more of a he wasn’t quite as effective or mobile as we liked and then we think it’s something we can fix for a little bit better longer-term return.”

To Nurse’s point, there is not much reason for the Sixers to push Melton especially in January. They want him fully healthy for April and May. So while he could play now, the Sixers want to make sure he will be able to play to his usual high standards in the long term.

“There’s a little issue there that he could play,” Nurse continued. “Probably not 100%. Probably not that close to that, but he could be out there. He probably wouldn’t hurt it anymore. All that kind of stuff, but they think they can fix it to where he’s gonna get back to 100% and, longer term, we think that’s the smart thing to do.”

There is no timeline for his return. It could be a couple of days or it could be a couple of weeks or a month. This will be a fluid situation.

“I think that — I’m just gonna throw one out there now,” Nurse finished. “At least, I think, a week. At least a week and we’ll go from there.”

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