by Drummond to miss at least three Sixers games with sprained ankle originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The sprained right ankle that Andre Drummond suffered Saturday night will sideline him for at least the Sixers’ next three games.
Drummond injured his ankle in the first quarter of the Sixers’ win over the Pistons when he took a throw and appeared to step on Tobias Harris’ foot. A team official said Monday that he would be re-evaluated this weekend. Before that, the Sixers will visit the Hornets on Tuesday night and host the Magic on Wednesday and Friday.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse turned to Adem Bona after Drummond’s injury in Detroit. The rookie did a good job in short order, posting four points, five rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes.
Guerschon Yabusele also continued to spend significant time at center. According to Cleaning the Glass, he has played 77 percent of his minutes there thus far. He had a lighter night Saturday, watching the final 17 minutes of the Sixers’ blowout victory from the bench. The previous game, Yabusele logged an NBA career-high 43 minutes in an overtime loss to the Rockets.
Yabusele, Jared McCain and Kelly Oubre Jr. are the only players to appear in every game for the 4-14 Sixers. Paul George returned from a bruised left knee against the Pistons, but Joel Embiid (left knee injury management/personal reasons), Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain), Caleb Martin (upper back soreness) and Reggie Jackson (right knee soreness) were all out.
Embiid will remain sidelined against the Hornets, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lowry, Jackson and Martin fully participated in the Sixers’ practice Monday in Charlotte, according to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire.
The Sixers’ game against the Hornets will be an NBA Cup game, even though both teams have already been eliminated from the round of 16. The Sixers, who beat the Hornets in overtime on Nov. 10, will be looking for their first winning streak of the season.
