De’Anthony Melton is out and Joel Embiid looks on track to return for the Sixers’ second straight meeting with the Bulls.
The team listed Melton as out because of lumbar spine soreness ahead of Tuesday night’s game against Chicago at Wells Fargo Center. Embiid didn’t appear on the injury report, indicating that he’s expected to play after missing the past four games with a right ankle sprain.
Melton was sidelined by a left thigh contusion for the Sixers’ Dec. 22 win over the Raptors. He’s started every other game this season and averaged 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals. Along with Robert Covington and Paul Reed, Melton is one of three Sixers in the NBA’s top 10 for deflections per 36 minutes.
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Though Melton only missed five games last season, he was hampered by a back injury most of the year. He said at the Sixers’ media day in October that he felt “way better now” and “more athletic” entering the 2023-24 season.
The Sixers' loss Saturday to the Bulls concluded a 2-2 trip without Embiid, whose 35.0 points per contest still lead the NBA. Embiid hurt his ankle in the first quarter of that Dec. 22 matchup vs. Toronto but completed the game and hit the 30-point mark for a 14th consecutive outing.
At 22-10, the Sixers sit third in the Eastern Conference standings. The 15-19 Bulls are 10th, although they’ve already beaten the Sixers this season in both Chicago and Philadelphia. In 2023 regular-season games, the Sixers went 55-24. Four of those 24 defeats came to the Bulls.
Chicago’s Zach LaVine (right foot inflammation), Nikola Vucevic (left adductor injury) and Torrey Craig (right plantar fascia sprain) will remain out Tuesday night.