Kyle Lowry will miss Sixers’ game vs. Cavaliers, but De’Anthony Melton will return
Starting forward Nico Batum is also available to play Friday.
Sixers Kyle Lowry, who scored 11 points in his team debut Thursday night, will miss Friday night's game against the Cavs.Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Kyle Lowry will miss the 76ers’ Friday home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as he continues to ramp up his conditioning after joining the team off the buyout market just before the All-Star break.
Lowry, the Philly native and former Villanova star, completed his Sixers debut Thursday with 11 points, five assists, and four rebounds in a loss to the New York Knicks. It was the 37-year-old Lowry’s first game action since Jan. 21, before he was traded from the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets and then bought out after the trade deadline. Lowry also took a blow to the forehead in Thursday’s first half, and received seven stitches before returning to the court.
After this back-to-back, the Sixers have another quick turnaround for an intriguing Sunday afternoon matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks and former coach Doc Rivers.
De’Anthony Melton, meanwhile, is available to return Friday from a spine issue that has sidelined him the majority of the past seven weeks. Melton, who is known for his perimeter defensive activity and long-range shooting, was a starting guard alongside Tyrese Maxey before his injury — though the Sixers have since acquired Lowry and Buddy Hield
Starting forward Nico Batum is also available to play Friday, after entering the game listed as questionable with hamstring injury recovery. The veteran returned from a nine-game absence on Thursday against the Knicks, when he did not take a shot against and finished with three rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes.
The Sixers have lost 10 of their past 13 games, but won in Cleveland on Feb. 12.
Kyle Lowry plays in the Sports Catholic League Semi Finals, B. Neumann Vs Cardinal Dougherty on March 6, 2003.Read moreElwood P. Smith / Elwood P. Smith / Philadelphia Daily News
Kyle Lowry, left, Cardinal Doughtery and Sean Singletary are the city's top point guards. Photographed at Penn Charter High School Nov. 11, 2003. Read moreRon Cortes / Staff Photographer
In this 2004 file photo point guard Kyle Lowry, of Cardinal Dougherty, with a rebound during a game against La Salle. Read moreLinda Johnson / Staff Photographer
Cardinal Dougherty basketball player Kyle Lowry announcing that he will attend Villanova University next year. His mother Marie Hollaway is on the right Nov. 13, 2003.Read moreG.W. Miller III / The Daily News
Dougherty's Kyle Lowry holds his head as he can't believe a ref's call went against him as the game slipped away in the second half. Prep beat Dougherty for the Catholic League high school boy's basketball championship in a game played at the Tom Gola Arena on the LaSalle University campus in Philadelphia on Sunday March 7, 2004.Read moreTerry Lodriguss / Staff Photographer
Villanova Assistant Head Coach Fred Hill jokes around with Kyle Lowry as he practices free throws March 22, 2005. Villlanova prepares for their NCAA Tournament game against North Carolina.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Villanova's Kyle Lowry moves the ball against Stony Brook in the first half, Nov. 18, 2005, in Villanova. Read moreJoseph Kaczmarek / For The Daily News
In a Dec. 2005 file photo Villanova's Kyle Lowry and Allan Ray cheer for their teammates during the second half against La Salle. Villanova beat La Salle 98-57. Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Villanova's Kyle Lowry steals the ball from Saint Joseph's Pat Calathes during the second half at the Palestra, Feb. 7, 2006. Villanova beat Saint Joseph's 71-58.
Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Villanova's Kyle Lowry drives on Georgetown's Ashanti Cook and Jonathan Wallace in background as Villanova defeats Georgetown 75-65 at the Pavlion.Read moreRonald Cortes / Staff Photographer
Villanova's Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry react after learning that Villanova was named a number one seed in the Minneapolis region during the NCAA selection show at Villanova University, March 12, 2006.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Villanova's Kyle Lowry drives past Boston College's Jared Dudley during the second half of the third round of the NCAA Basketball Championship at the H.H.H. Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN, Friday, 3/24/2006. Villanova beat BC 60-59 in overtime.
Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nova's Kyle Lowry waits as media interviews players as Florida defeats Villanova 75-62 at H.H.H. Metrodome on March 25,2005, advancing to NCAA final four.Read moreRonald Cortes / Staff Photographer
Kyle Lowry announces his decision to play for Villanova University on April 27, 2006. Read moreLinda Johnson / Staff Photographer
Toronto Raptors' Kyle Lowry, left, tries to get a shot past Philadelphia 76ers' Robert Covington during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, in Philadelphia. Read moreMatt Slocum / AP
USA's guard Kyle Lowry celebrates winning a Men's Gold medal basketball match between Serbia and USA at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on August 21, 2016 during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.Read moreMark Ralston / Getty Images
Kidding around with Kasheem Bronzell, 8, middle, Kyle Lowry returns from winning the gold medal in Rio at his annual event, the Lowry Love Clinic, at Mastery Charter School on Saturday August 27, 2016. Read moreDavid Swanson / Staff Photographer
Greg Monroe, left, of the Sixers tries to block a shot by Kyle Lowry of the Raptors during their NBA Eastern Conference Semifinal Playoff Game at the Wells Fargo Center on May 5, 2019.Read moreCHARLES FOX / CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Sixers' Joel Embiid tries for the loose ball with Raptors' Kyle Lowry during the 1st quarter at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Wednesday, December 14, 2016. Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Kyle Lowry of the Raptors raises his arms to the crowd during the 1st half of their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal game at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on May 7, 2019.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Toronto Raptors' Kyle Lowry, former Villanova player with his wife Ayahna and his sons Karter, 6 and Kameron, 4 during a ceremony honoring him during halftime of the Villanova-St. John's game at The Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, Wednesday, February 26, 2020.Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer
Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry passes the basketball again the Sixers during game four of the second-round Eastern Conference playoffs on Sunday, May 8, 2022 in Philadelphia.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
I have been a 76ers beat writer at The Inquirer since 2021, and also cover other Philly basketball stories. I especially love reporting and writing pieces that lift the curtain on the Sixers' people and process (pun sometimes intended), and that help readers feel connected to the teams they follow.
