The Philadelphia 76ers made an impressive preseason debut on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics.
They won the game, 92-89, but it was not all good news for them as they lost another player due to injury. Newly-converted point guard Nik Stauskas was forced to leave the game due a hamstring strain and did not return.
Nik Stauskas left the game with a left hamstring strain and will not return.
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoCSN) October 5, 2016
The eighth overall pick of the 2014 draft had high hopes for the start of this season with the new role he is slated to play for his team. Head coach Brett Brown has groomed the Michigan product to play the point and turn him into a Manu Ginobili-type combo guard. Given his height of 6-foot-6 plus his ability to shoot from the outside, he can become a match-up problem for other teams.
Entering his 3rd season as a pro, the 22-year-old has career averages of 6.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 20.1 minutes per game. His numbers may not be eye-popping, but his potential to make a big contribution to his team, especially this year, makes it even more disappointing if he'll be forced to miss extended time.
With this year's top pick, Ben Simmons, already scheduled to be sidelined for three months, and rumors of possibly missing the whole season, the Sixers cannot afford to have more rotation players out.
All may not be lost just yet as the extent of Stauskas' injury is still unknown. The situation in Philadelphia will be something worth monitoring as the team and its fans look forward to more wins with their improved roster.
Follow Us
Subscribe