The Philadelphia 76ers, already dealing with several injuries to key players, now have to keep an eye out for Buddy Hield's ankle in the coming days. The sharpshooter got hurt in the final minutes of the Sixers' loss to the Sacramento Kings, potentially adding another name to their injury report.
Hield limped off the court, heading right back to the locker room as the 76ers' loss to the Kings wrapped up. It wasn’t clear on which play he got injured on. Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters after the game that Hield was getting an X-ray on his ankle and those X-rays came back negative, according to Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.
Avoiding a serious injury is great news for Hield, whom the 76ers are counting on to be a key contributor for the rest of the season.
Buddy Hield hurts ankle in 76ers' loss to Kings
Hield played 32 minutes against the Kings, recording seven points, five rebounds and three assists on 3-9 shooting (0-6 from deep). The 31-year-old guard has missed just one game this season between his time with Philly and the Indiana Pacers.
Kelly Oubre Jr. missed the loss to the Kings with left shoulder soreness and the Sixers couldn’t muster up a strong enough effort to snatch the win on the second day of a back-to-back. Both he and Hield are now under injury watch as Philly hopes to get other players back in action soon.
Joel Embiid's recovery from his meniscus injury is the most prominent injury issue that the 76ers are facing right now. The team hopes that the big man is able to return soon as he works his way back into practice. But with him, De'Anthony Melton (back; lumbar spine bone stress) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) still working their way back, Philly cannot afford to lose any more key role players.
Hield's role with the Sixers has changed several times since he was acquired at the trade deadline but he has been a staple of the rotation ever since. Should his ankle issue force him to miss any time, two-way players Ricky Council IV and Jeff Dowtin Jr. will be relied on for depth off the bench.
The 76ers will now head back home after four games on the road. They'll return to action on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
UPDATE: Hield was not listed on the Sixers' initial injury report ahead of their matchup with the Clippers.
Follow Us
Subscribe