76ers’ De’Anthony Melton Avoids Injury Report vs. Lakers

After missing practice on Thursday, De'Anthony Melton appears on pace to play Friday night.

The Philadelphia 76ers got a key player back in the mix this week when James Harden made his anticipated return to the court to face the Houston Rockets on Monday night.

While Harden’s return to the floor was a significant step in the right direction for the Sixers after they’ve dealt with a handful of notable injuries to begin the year, the team is still a long way from healthy.

With three straight days off from games, the Sixers held two practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. As expected, the young guard Tyrese Maxey was not a participant as he continues to rehab a small fracture in his foot.

The veteran forward Georges Niang also stayed off the court as he battles foot soreness. Danuel House Jr. was another veteran that hasn’t practiced all week due to a foot laceration. Then, De’Anthony Melton was absent on Thursday as his back issue continues to linger.

This season, Melton’s appeared in 22 of Philadelphia’s 24 matchups. The veteran guard missed the Sixers’ November 2 matchup against the Washington Wizards and the November 12 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

While his absence from Thursday’s practice was concerning as it indicated he could potentially miss a third matchup on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Sixers will, fortunately, have the veteran guard in the mix.

By avoiding the injury report on Friday, Melton’s on pace to play, barring any unexpected setbacks. Considering Maxey remains off the floor, Melton is likely to pick up his 11th straight start. Since joining the Sixers’ starting lineup in the absence of Harden and Maxey, Melton’s averaged 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists while spending around 34 minutes on the court.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.