Several Hornets Stars on Injury Report vs. 76ers on Saturday

Heading into the second matchup of a back-to-back set, the Philadelphia 76ers are fortunate to remain fully healthy.

Outside of their two-way prospects, the Sixers don’t have any players on the injury report for their matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. As the team avoided setbacks, they were also fortunate to avoid fatigue, as their previous three matchups allowed key players to see lower minutes than usual.

The Sixers are in good shape from a health standpoint on Saturday, but the same can’t be said for their opponent. Charlotte enters the matchup with a loaded injury report. Outside of their two-way prospect Amari Bailey, the Hornets have seven players on the injury report.

As expected, the star guard LaMelo Ball will have the night off as he continues to heal from an ankle sprain. The All-Star hasn’t appeared in a matchup since the Hornets’ November 26 battle against the Orlando Magic. He’s missed the Hornets’ last eight games, and Saturday’s battle with the Sixers will mark his ninth in a row.

Ball isn’t the only veteran guaranteed to miss Saturday’s game. Theo Maledon has also been ruled out, as he’s currently not with the team. Cody Martin is out as he recovers from a left knee injury, and Frank Ntilikina is dealing with a tibia fracture.

The playing statuses of PJ Washington and Mark Williams are doubtful. Then, there’s Gordon Hayward, who is probable. Heading into the matchup, Hayward is reportedly dealing with a stomach virus. It seems he’s trending toward playing, which is a good situation for the Hornets, who need all the help they can get against a rolling Sixers team.

On Saturday, the Sixers are searching for their sixth-straight win. Last season, they found success in two of their three matchups against Charlotte. They’ll look to grab a third-straight win over the Hornets on the road.