76ers vs. Timberwolves: 2 Sixers Questionable on Injury Report
Update: Robert Covington is OUT vs. Timberwolves. Marcus Morris has been upgraded to AVAILABLE.
Following a loss against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, the Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Western Conference’s top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
For the Sixers, they have a few key names on the injury report and could find themselves shorthanded against Minnesota once again.
The fifth starter, Nic Batum, has already been ruled out for the night. As Batum suffered a hamstring strain during the second half of Monday’s game, he missed the entire fourth quarter and was not a participant in the team’s practice session the following day.
Batum will miss Wednesday’s game. Although his setback isn’t considered to be serious at this time, the Sixers won’t risk a potential long-term injury by trotting him out on the court too early.
In addition to Batum, the Sixers also listed Robert Covington and Marcus Morris on the injury report. They are both dealing with illnesses.
Lately, the Sixers have had their fair share of absences due to illness. Over the last couple of weeks, several players, including Jaden Springer, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid, have missed games because of an illness. Morris was the latest, as he missed Monday’s game.
Monday’s matchup was the first time Morris was inactive since joining the Sixers. His absence was notable, considering Morris has been a regular in the rotation as of late. Throughout the month of December, Morris has averaged 17 minutes on the court. Over that stretch, he’s put up eight points per game while knocking down 55 percent of his shots.
While Covington hasn’t had the same offensive impact as Morris off the bench, his defense has been a significant booster for Philly’s second unit. Lately, Covington has picked up some notable playing time, averaging 14 minutes on the floor over the previous five games. An absence on Wednesday would mark his first since joining the 76ers.
The Sixers and the Timberwolves are set to tip-off at 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday. Covington and Morris are on pace to be game-time decisions for the matchup.
