76ers vs. Bulls: Jalen McDaniels' Playing Status Wednesday
*UPDATE: After getting added to the injury report on Wednesday afternoon, listed as questionable due to hip soreness, Jalen McDaniels has been downgraded to OUT on Wednesday night in Chicago.
When the Philadelphia 76ers take on their rematch against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, Sixers’ veteran reserve Jalen McDaniels is expected to take the floor once again.
Over the last two games, McDaniels has been available for the team after missing multiple games due to a hip contusion. While he played for nearly 16 minutes in his first game back last Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, McDaniels appeared on the court for just eight minutes on Monday.
“He didn’t look good,” said Sixers head coach Doc Rivers after Monday’s loss. “That’s why I took him out. He wasn’t moving well, so we took him off the floor.”
McDaniels admitted that he was still feeling the aftereffects of the contusion, according to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. As the young wing described his setback, he mentioned that he’s currently not able to move the way he wants to and feels held back physically as a result.
Considering McDaniels hasn’t looked one hundred percent in his first two games back, it was unclear whether or not he would get a rest night on Wednesday when the Sixers take on the Bulls again.
According to Philadelphia’s injury report, that won’t be the case.
McDaniels was left off the report. Therefore, he’s available to play, barring any setbacks throughout the day.
With just 11 games left in the regular season, McDaniels will need to spend as much time as possible on the court to ensure he’s fully comfortable within his role on the team for the playoffs. Unfortunately, the recent setback could prevent him from playing as many minutes as desired down the stretch of the year.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
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