An Unfortunate Trend Continues for 76ers Starter vs. Rockets

When the Philadelphia 76ers pay a visit to the Houston Rockets on Friday night, they’ll battle it out while shorthanded.

Once again, the Sixers’ veteran forward Nic Batum will sit out as he continues recovering from a hamstring strain.

Batum’s hamstring concerns started a couple of weeks back when the Sixers took on the Chicago Bulls. Amidst Batum’s 26-minute shift, he experienced tightness in his hamstring, which led the Sixers to rule out the veteran for the entire fourth quarter.

The Sixers didn’t have an immediate timeline in place for Batum’s return. That remains the case this week as the Sixers continue to take the French veteran’s setback day by day.

Batum missed his first game in seven outings on December 20, which was the follow-up game from the loss against Chicago. Since then, Batum hasn’t seen the court. That will remain the case on Friday in Houston. When Batum goes inactive, it will mark the fifth straight game Batum will miss, extending his longest absence since joining the Sixers.

On October 31, Batum was traded to the 76ers, coming in from the Los Angeles Clippers. He made his debut on November 6. After a four-game run, Batum went inactive for three straight games, missing time due to personal reasons.

When Batum returned, he appeared in six straight games. Although he missed the Sixers’ December 1 matchup against the Boston Celtics due to a hand injury, his absence wasn’t for an extended period of time. This time around has been different, however.

According to reports, the Sixers anticipate a possible return for Batum on their current trip. Ahead of Philly’s win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse noted that a return against the Rockets or the Bulls could be in play. His night in Houston will be spent on the bench once again. However, it seems there’s hope for a potential Batum return on Saturday.