76ers vs. Hornets: De’Anthony Melton’s Injury Diagnosis Revealed

It turns out that De’Anthony Melton’s return to the Philadelphia 76ers was short-term.

Unfortunately, the team is back to competing without the veteran guard as he suffered a setback in Tuesday’s loss against the Boston Celtics.

After checking in for under ten minutes in Boston, Melton left the game and wouldn’t return. According to the Sixers, the veteran was dealing with back spasms.

When the team returned to practice on Thursday ahead of their matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse confirmed that Melton didn’t practice. In addition, he made a call on Melton’s playing status in advance, ruling him out against the Charlotte Hornets.

Hours later, the Sixers’ injury report listed Melton as out, joining Joel Embiid and Robert Covington. The veteran guard’s diagnosis on the injury report revealed that Melton is dealing with lumbar spine bone stress.

Melton has had concerns with his back since early January. When the Sixers rang in the new year with a matchup against the Chicago Bulls, Melton was ruled out for the second time in 33 games this season. Following a three-game absence, Melton was back in action to face the Atlanta Hawks on January 10.

His return would last just two games. As Melton battled a stress response, he went on to miss 18 straight games for the 76ers. Finally, on February 23, Melton made his way back to the floor. In his first game back against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Melton collected 16 minutes of playing time off the bench. He scored seven points while shooting 33 percent from the field.

In last Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Melton saw a slight increase in playing time off the bench. He looked a lot better as he shot 42 percent from the field to collect 16 points, along with three rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 18 minutes.

After wrapping up a short shift against the Celtics on Tuesday, Melton won’t see the floor again until Sunday at the earliest. However, it’s necessary to note that Sixers head coach Nick Nurse made it clear there is no timetable in place for Melton’s return.

This season was shaping up to be an important one for Melton, who will become a free agent this summer. In 36 games, he averaged 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game. Unfortunately, he’ll miss some more time as his back injury lingers.