76ers' De'Anthony Melton to Miss Extended Time Beyond Hornets Game

De'Anthony Melton's absence will extend beyond the Charlotte matchup.

De’Anthony Melton’s return to the Philadelphia 76ers’ rotation was short-lived.

The veteran guard, who’s been battling a back injury for the last couple of months, has suffered a setback recently.

As the Sixers went toe-to-toe with the Boston Celtics earlier this week, Melton appeared in his third-straight game for the first time since December 29.

Amidst the Sixers’ 18-point loss against their Atlantic Division rival, Melton left the matchup prematurely. After spending fewer than nine minutes on the court, Melton was ruled out due to back spasms. When he left the game, Melton had zero points, one rebound, and a block.

The Sixers returned to the practice court after getting a day off following the loss against the Celtics. Melton was not a participant. When 76ers head coach Nick Nurse addressed the media, he confirmed that Melton was out for the foreseeable future, beginning with Friday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets.

According to Philadelphia’s injury report, Melton is dealing with lumbar spine bone stress. 

Nurse didn’t have an exact timeline on Melton’s recovery, but it’s become clear that the veteran guard will miss at least three games, with the string of absences beginning on Friday night at home against Charlotte.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, Melton will not travel with the Sixers for their upcoming two-game road trip. The first stop takes place on Sunday afternoon, with a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. The second road game will happen on Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets.

By missing Friday’s game, Melton was out for the 23rd time this year. The next time he could be back on the floor is next Wednesday when the Sixers host the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Whether Melton will return by then or not is currently unclear, as the Sixers do not have a timeline in place just yet.