BOSTON — The Sixers switched things up a bit Monday night, as Hollis Thompson started at small forward.
It was Thompson's 22nd start of the season, but first since Dec. 19 after he missed 11 games because of an upper respiratory infection and came off the bench upon his return.
Since the All-Star break (13 games), Thomas entered Monday averaging 8.5 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field including 48 percent from three-point range.
By default, you could call him a veteran on this Sixers team.
"Hollis is the only player that is with me since I started," Sixers coach Brett Brown said prior to Monday's game against the Celtics. "So he's the only one that has survived that period of time. To his credit he's survived a lot of times where he hasn't performed well and he's been sick and he's been in and out, and he just doesn't go away.
"He's had a great year, he's shooting the ball well especially since the All-Star break. We'll start him tonight and I just give him credit because he just comes with a great attitude and somebody that has proven to be a tremendous teammate."
Isaiah Canaan started at point guard with Jason Richardson at shooting guard, Luc Mbah a Moute at power forward and Nerlens Noel at center.