Sixers' Furkan Korkmaz Will Miss Friday's Game vs. Pelicans

The Philadelphia 76ers remain relatively healthy as the NBA Playoffs inch closer. However, they have been missing a key member of the rotation as of late, and the trend will continue on Friday night as the Sixers host the New Orleans Pelicans.

76ers backup guard/forward Furkan Korkmaz has been ruled out once again. On Thursday night, the Sixers didn't waste any time adding Korkmaz to the injury report as he's been dealing with an ankle sprain for the last couple of matchups. 

The last time Korkmaz checked onto the court for the Sixers was on Monday night. As the Sixers faced the Chicago Bulls on the road, Korkmaz suffered an ankle injury early on in the game. After going to the locker room in under five minutes of playing time, the Sixers ruled Korkmaz out for the remainder of the game.

Korkmaz would miss the following matchup against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Although the Sixers were missing one of their reliable sharpshooters off the bench, Philly took care of business against a depleted Rockets team as they picked up their sixth-straight win on their current stretch.

The absence of Korkmaz shouldn't affect the Sixers too much as they've been on quite the roll lately. Overall, Philly can win without Korkmaz on the floor, but on a personal note, the young veteran is missing crucial playing time as the postseason approaches.

Throughout the year, Korkmaz has averaged around 20 minutes of playing time in Doc Rivers' system. The final stretch of games is critical for Korkmaz as it could serve as an opportunity to prove he belongs in the playoff rotation. While his absence won't affect his spot coming off the bench entirely, the extra reps down the stretch are important.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.