76ers Add Georges Niang to Injury Report vs. Jazz
The Philadelphia 76ers are unsure whether or not they’ll have their veteran sharpshooter Georges Niang on the floor on Saturday night.
According to the Sixers’ injury report, Niang is currently battling a non-COVID illness. As a result, he’s questionable for the matchup against the Utah Jazz.
Per The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, Niang was not present at the Sixers’ morning shootaround. While that doesn’t automatically mean Niang is a long shot to play on Saturday, players have typically missed games when they don’t participate in shootaround with the Sixers this season.
If Niang doesn’t get the nod to play on Saturday, he will miss the one and only return to Utah to face his former team this season. Following Thursday’s loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Niang mentioned he looked forward to returning to his former NBA home to see some old faces.
Although Niang got his start with the Indiana Pacers, Utah is where he made a name for himself. After landing with the Jazz during his sophomore season in 2017, Niang played with the Jazz until the end of the 2021 run. During the 2021 offseason, Niang signed a multi-year deal with the 76ers as an unrestricted free agent.
Last year, Niang returned to Utah to face his former team for the first time on November 16, 2021. In the matchup, Niang knocked down three of his six shots, scoring seven points in 29 minutes. When he faced the Jazz again on December 9, 2021, Niang hit on four of his seven shots, putting up nine points in 15 minutes.
Earlier this season, the Utah Jazz came to Philly, offering Niang another opportunity to play his former organization. In the seven-point win for the Sixers, Niang contributed to five points in 19 minutes. Will he get a chance to play them for a fourth time on Saturday? Right now, the answer is unclear.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
