Sixers’ Ben Simmons available for Friday night’s game at Houston
The point guard is suffering from a stomach bug.
HOUSTON — Ben Simmons will play in Friday night’s game against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.
The 76ers point guard had been listed as questionable with gastroenteritis. The second-year player felt ill upon waking up Friday morning at the team’s hotel and did not participate in the shootaround.
The Sixers (41-24) are, however, without two-time All-Star center Joel Embiid (left knee tendinitis) and backup center Boban Marjanovic (right knee bone bruise and mild sprain) in the matchup against the Rockets (39-25). However, Marjanovic moved well in a post-shootaround workout with center Justin Patton.
Simmons has been sidelined one game this season. That came back on Oct. 23 because of lower-back tightness. The All-Star is averaging 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.9 assists. He also has 10 triple-doubles and 38 double-doubles this season.
This matchup is a homecoming for Sixers swingman Jimmy Butler and reserves Jonathon Simmons and James Ennis.
Butler was born in Houston and grew up in nearby Tomball. Simmons is also a Houston native. He was a standout at M.B. Smiley High School. He spent a year at two junior colleges before playing at the University of Houston.
Ennis is from California. However, he signed a free-agent deal with the Rockets back last July 13. The Sixers acquired him in a trade on Feb. 7. He averaged 7.4 points in 40 games with Houston.
The undermanned Sixers will look to snap the Rockets’ six-game winning streak in the 8 p.m. contest.