Sixers Notes: Carter-Williams sidelined by sore knee

CHARLOTTE - Michael Carter-Williams has missed five of the 76ers' 20 games due to injuries.

Coach Brett Brown isn't concerned that being injured could become a trend for the 22-year-old rookie point guard.

"I think some of it is bad luck," said Brown, whose squad faced the Charlotte Bobcats Friday night at the Time Warner Cable Arena. "Some of it is the nature of his body and [being] young and [playing] big minutes, and some other things.

"But I'm sticking more with bad luck than a trend."

Brown believes the 6-foot-6, 185-pounder's competitiveness and toughness will propel him through injuries as time unfolds.

"But these recent ones, he should be sad," the coach said. "He should be left at home. But no, I don't think it will be a pattern."

Carter-Williams did not make the trip to Charlotte due to right knee soreness suffered while bumping knees in Sunday's 115-100 setback at Detroit. Two days later, he finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 126-125 double-overtime victory against the Orlando Magic.

However, the 11th overall pick out of Syracuse did not practice Thursday. The Sixers were concerned about how the plane ride to Charlotte would affect his knee. He is listed as day-to-day

"There's a little bit of infection there," Brown said. "There's some inflammation. There are all those types of things that would say, you shouldn't be up in the air. So we decided to err on caution, and left him behind. And I'm glad we did that."

Carter-Williams missed four other games with a bruise to the arch of his left foot.

Bobcats swingman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist did not play Friday night. The Camden native will be sidelined four to six weeks after suffering a broken left hand on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks.