Adem Bona will sit out against Detroit Pistons with back soreness
Bona joins a long list of injured Sixers, including Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre.
DETROIT — Adem Bona will miss the 76ers’ game at the Pistons on Thursday night with back soreness, according to the NBA’s injury report released Thursday afternoon.
Fellow center Andre Drummond also is a new addition to the report, listed as questionable to play because of back spasms.
Bona’s absence leaves the Sixers even more shorthanded against the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons. Regular starters Tyrese Maxey (finger), Joel Embiid (oblique), Paul George (suspension), and Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) were already ruled out for the game.
» READ MORE: Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey will miss at least two games with finger injury
Bona, who had entered the day listed as questionable and was present at the morning shootaround, had been starting in place of Embiid, whose side injury is scheduled to be reevaluated within the next couple of days. Bona, a second-year big man, is averaging 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 56 games with eight starts and is known for his shot-blocking and high-energy style.
Detroit boasts a vaunted frontcourt anchored by Jalen Duren, a first-time All-Star this season and a Sharon Hill native, and Isaiah Stewart. Without Bona and potentially Drummond, Dominck Barlow and Jabari Walker are perhaps the Sixers’ best options as small-ball centers.
The Sixers (35-30) are fighting for playoff positioning with 17 games to play in the regular season. They entered Thursday in eighth place in the East standings, one game back of the seventh-place Toronto Raptors and one game ahead of the ninth-place Atlanta Hawks.
Following Thursday’s game in Detroit, the Sixers next play a home back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday against the “tanking” Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers, who are in the Western Conference play-in mix.