George Hill will make Sixers debut against Golden State Warriors
The Sixers acquired Hill from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team trade on March 25.
George Hill will make his long-awaited 76ers debut Monday night against the Golden State Warriors. The reserve point guard had been listed as questionable for the contest at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Sixers acquired Hill from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team trade on March 25. He had been recovering from thumb surgery ever since.
Folks expecting to see Hill’s impact with the Sixers may have to wait a little while longer.
“I just think it’s going to take him some time,” coach Doc Rivers aid. “We are not going to play him a lot of minutes in a row right now. We’re just going to try to ease him back in. In another week or so, if nothing [bad] happens, obviously, then I think we will be excited we can see what we can do.
“But I don’t expect a lot right now from him, other than another veteran on the floor, another guy who can make a shot on the floor. And that helps our team.”
The 34-year-old Hill had surgery on his right thumb on Feb. 2, and hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 24. The Sixers have always said they wouldn’t rush him back. Friday’s 106-103 home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers marked the 12th game he missed since being acquired.
On Thursday, he participated in a scrimmage with the Sixers’ low-minute guys and player-development coaches. He was on the floor during Friday’s shootaround and put in more work over the weekend.
The 13-year veteran was getting back in shape after suffering what is described as a mallet finger injury. Also known as “baseball finger,” it can occur when a ball bends a finger backward and injures a tendon, according to orthoinfo.org.
Hill averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 26.4 minutes in 14 games in Oklahoma City. Last season, he averaged 9.8 points and shot a league-best 46% on three-pointers with the Milwaukee Bucks. Hill has averaged 11.1 points and 3.2 assists and shot 38.4% on threes in 799 career games, with 463 starts.
The Sixers’ acquisition of Hill made a lot of sense because he’s someone who will be among the top seven players in their rotation. As a solid shooter and defender, Hill can enter games in closing situations in the playoffs.
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Tobias Harris (right knee soreness) and Ben Simmons (illness) missed Monday’s game.
Golden State’s Klay Thompson (Achilles rehab), James Wiseman (meniscal surgery, right knee), Juan Toscano-Anderson (concussion protocol) and Eric Paschall (left hip flexor) are out. Kelly Oubre Jr. (left wrist soreness) and Steph Curry (left ankle soreness) are questionable.