Tag: Nic Batum

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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Full injury report for Nic Batum, Sixers vs. Nets in return home

Here is the full injury report for Nic Batum and the Philadelphia 76ers as they take on the Brooklyn Nets at home.

As the Philadelphia 76ers return home on Saturday to play host to the Brooklyn Nets, they will remain short-handed.

Joel Embiid will, obviously, be out for this one due to a left knee meniscus injury. He will join De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) on the sideline.

There is a chance Philadelphia will welcome Nic Batum (left hamstring tightness) and Marcus Morris Sr. (left foot plantar fasciitis) back to the lineup. Both are questionable for the contest against the Nets.

Without Embiid, the Sixers rely on Tyrese Maxey to lead the way on the offensive end. If Batum and Morris can go, that will help the team’s depth.

The tip at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday is set for 6 p.m. EST.

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Tobias Harris drawing respect, admiration from Sixers teammates

Tobias Harris is drawing respect and admiration from his teammates on the Philadelphia 76ers.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Philadelphia 76ers are led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, and those two receive the most praise. It makes sense, but one cannot forget about what Tobias Harris brings to the table.

Once again, Harris is flying under the radar. The veteran out of Tennessee has done many good things for the Sixers this season. He is averaging 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 51.7% from the floor and 37.4% from deep.

He stepped up in a big way when Embiid missed the Christmas road trip, and he has played well since Embiid returned.

“The way he’s played since maybe mid-December, the last four weeks, amazing. It’s truly amazing,” Nic Batum told Sixers Wire. “You could really see it when Joel went down in December when he really took over in some games and he took over and had great games and since Joel got back, he kept that level anyway. He even stepped up more when Joel was out, but since he got back, T kept that level anyway.”

Harris kept the Sixers alive in their previous win over the Denver Nuggets at home. Philadelphia had a tough stretch to end the third and start the fourth as it looked like the defending champs were going to pull away.

Instead, Harris kept the Sixers in it with some big buckets in the fourth. One could argue Philadelphia likely loses that game if it weren’t for him.

“Last game, we had a bad stretch at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth,” Batum recalled. “He kept us alive. Tobias kept us alive, you know? If he doesn’t have that stretch, we maybe lose that game so he’s been great for us.”

Harris also sets the tone for this group when the time calls for it. The way he carries himself and the way he prepares for games sets an example for his teammates. Sixers who plays an important role for them.

“He’s a pro,” Batum added. “He’s been around for a while playing at a high level so we all know what he can do and the way he’s acting, doing his work, you can see the guy’s a pro. You can see it and it shows up on the court. He’s one of the leaders of the team so we trust him, believe in him, so even when sometimes we struggle, we know when he’s got the ball in his hands, good stuff will happen.”

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Sixers’ Nic Batum discusses recovery from recent hamstring injury

Philadelphia 76ers veteran Nic Batum gives an update on his recovery from his recent hamstring injury.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Philadelphia 76ers veteran Nic Batum missed five games in December due to a right hamstring injury before he returned on Dec. 30.

Hamstring issues can be tricky, and it was the first time Batum dealt with that type of injury.

In the first four games since he returned from the injury, Batum shot 31.3% from deep and 36.4% overall. He looked rusty from the time missed. In Friday’s win over the Sacramento Kings, the veteran looked like himself again.

The veteran shot 4-for-4 from deep, 5-for-5 from the floor overall, and had 14 points with five rebounds. He looked comfortable again as he continued his recovery from the injury.

“It took me like three or four games to get back in rhythm,” Batum said at practice on Sunday. “Like I said, it was the first time I got a hamstring or a muscle injury so it took me a good 18 days to really get back. That was a good game for me last game. Just need to keep going.”

Batum is going to have to play a big factor for them. He is a top-tier shooter who has a high basketball IQ. He understands how to space the floor on the offensive end and he knows how to throw entry passes into Joel Embiid in terms of angles and where the defense is playing him.

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Sixers discuss where they have missed De’Anthony Melton’s presence

The Philadelphia 76ers discuss where they have missed the presence of De’Anthony Melton the most out on the floor.

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers are beginning to get healthier as the second week of 2024 unfolds. After two consecutive losses, the Sixers look to get back on track on Wednesday when they take on the Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks feature two very talented guards, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, along with role players who fit well around them. It will help the Sixers to have De’Anthony Melton back on the floor to bother those two guards. While Melton is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup, he practiced on Monday and Tuesday, so there is a real chance he plays in the contest.

The Sixers hope Melton can bolster their perimeter defense, which is where they’ve missed his presence.

“Probably at the point of attack on defense, right?” said coach Nick Nurse. “I think that that was certainly an issue the other night (Utah) and that was one of the suggestions my coaches made this morning was that we missed Melt up there. He gets his hands on some balls, guards the ball pretty well, gets a lot of deflections and things for us as well. So, I’d say there mostly.”

Along with his defensive ability, Melton is an important piece of this team’s offense. He averages 12.1 points and shoots 36.5% from deep in 31 games to begin the season.

“He’s very underrated though,” added Nic Batum. “He can do anything. On defense, he’s a very great defender. On defense, he’s playing very great. On offense, he can score from everywhere. He can score. He can drive, shoot from 3, pull up, whatever. He is a very underrated player.”

While the focus in Philadelphia is the play of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers need others to produce. Melton plays an important role in what Philadelphia does on the floor.

“Everybody on this team plays a pivotal role in our success and so his shot making ability, his ability to defend and switch on different guards, different forwards as well,” Tobias Harris said. “His overall presence was missed for us in the time that’s been out. So hopefully we get him back tomorrow, too.”

The Sixers and the Hawks will match up at 7:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday.

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The remaining active NBA players from each draft class between 2003 and 2010

It is truly remarkable that LeBron is still playing as well as he does.

With each passing season, more and more players in the previous generation of the NBA are graduating into retirement.

Some of the most recognizable and dominant players of a beloved era (e.g. Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, etc.) have recently ended their professional playing careers.

As the league begins to look increasingly different every year, we decided to look at which players drafted before 2011 are still active in the league. There are only 30 players who fit those qualifications and only 19 have started more than one game this season.

Here is a look at each NBA draft class and who remains active years later.

All data is provided via Stathead and is accurate as of publishing.

Nic Batum discusses injury recovery, next steps in return to Sixers

Nic Batum discusses his injury recovery as well as the next steps for him in his return to the Philadelphia 76ers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers return home from a four-game road trip on Tuesday looking to continue to get fully healthy again.

Joel Embiid is set to return from a four-game absence due to a right ankle sprain while Nic Batum is set to play in his second game back from a right hamstring strain.

Batum missed five games with the injury before returning in a road loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. He had nine points off the bench; he knocked down three triples to give the Sixers a big boost.

“It was good,” said Batum at shootaround on Tuesday. “I think I took my time. Like I said, it was the first time I had a hamstring injury, so I didn’t know what to do, to expect. I was listening to the staff so I took my time and I figured it out last game so it should be pretty good.”

Moving forward, Batum will go through a daily routine designed keep him on the floor. The Sixers know how important he is to their success due to his shooting, his defensive ability and his basketball IQ.

“I have a good routine,” Batum added. “Keep sticking, listening with the staff, weight room, training room, whatever. So be smart with it and I’ll be OK.”

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Sixers evaluate the return of Nic Batum from injury in loss to Bulls

The Philadelphia 76ers evaluate the return of Nic Batum from injury in a road loss to the Chicago Bulls.

The Philadelphia 76ers ended a tough four-game road trip with a 105-92 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. The Sixers were missing Joel Embiid for the fourth consecutive game. It was the second night of a back-to-back, and it was their third game in four nights.

The Sixers as a team shot just 39.1% from the floor compared to 50.6% for the Bulls. Philadelphia looked tired, which makes sense considering the trip. It heads home to prepare for a rematch with these Bulls.

On a positive note, the Sixers had Nic Batum return from a right hamstring strain. The veteran missed five games with the injury he suffered on Dec. 18 in a loss to the Bulls at home. Batum had nine points and knocked down three triples off the bench.

“It was good,” Nurse told reporters about Batum’s night. “I mean, it was on a fairly limited minutes restriction, right? I think 18 to 20 was the limits we were trying to run him in about five-minute spurts, but he certainly had a couple of shots, quick-release 3-balls, made a couple good passes. It’s good to have him back out there.”

Batum is such an important piece to this group. He looked a step slow on defense to start, but as he got his legs back under him, he was able to contribute more on that end of the floor. It really was an impressive run for him considering the time away.

“He did great,” added Tobias Harris. “I his defensive intensity, pressure. He’s giving us his all out there. So to be out and come back and give that type energy was great for us. I thought he was awesome.”

The Sixers will return home on Tuesday to play host to these Bulls.

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Complete injury report for Joel Embiid, Sixers vs. Bulls on the road

Here is the complete injury report for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers as they take on the Chicago Bulls on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers look to end the road trip the right way on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. The Sixers are 2-1 on the trip, all without Joel Embiid, and Philadelphia is looking to finish off an impressive trip without the big fella.

Embiid is listed as out against the Bulls. Coach Nick Nurse is hopeful the reigning league MVP will be able to return on Jan. 2 at home against the Bulls.

As for other injuries, KJ Martin is listed as probable after missing Friday’s win over the Houston Rockets due to an illness. Nic Batum is off the injury report and it looks like he will return from a five-game absence due to a right hamstring strain.

The tip against the Bulls is set for 8 p.m. EST from the United Center. Philadelphia is looking to complete a 3-1 road trip against a banged-up Bulls team.

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Full injury report for Joel Embiid, Sixers vs. Rockets on the road

Here is the complete injury report for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers for their matchup with the Houston Rockets on the road.

As the Philadelphia 76ers continue their four-game road trip with a matchup against the Houston Rockets on Friday, they will be short-handed for the third consecutive game.

Joel Embiid, who suffered an ankle sprain in a Dec. 22 win over the Toronto Raptors, will be out. The big fella continues to receive treatment in Philadelphia.

Nic Batum will miss his fifth straight game due to a right hamstring strain he suffered on Dec. 18. Philadelphia has missed his versatility, shooting and ability to throw entry passes into the post for the Sixers.

Coach Nick Nurse said Batum is expected back this weekend. Obviously, with Batum out for the Rockets matchup, he will likely return for the contest with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

As for Embiid, one has to assume he will likely miss the matchup with the Bulls as well. Philadelphia will return home on Jan. 2 to host those Bulls, which becomes a possible return date for the reigning league MVP.

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