The Philadelphia 76ers faced an early setback during their preseason opener against the New York Knicks on Monday, as backup center Ariel Hukporti was forced to leave the court with a right leg injury. The incident occurred just five minutes into the game, casting a shadow over Philadelphia's 120-97 victory.
The injury took place with 7:06 remaining in the first quarter while Hukporti was on the defensive end of the floor. The center, who joined the 76ers on a one-year, $3.4 million deal this past July, collapsed to the court and immediately clutched his lower right leg. He required assistance to leave the floor during a subsequent timeout, and the team officially confirmed at halftime that he would not return to the game.
Frontcourt Depth Concerns for Philadelphia
Hukporti had been handed a starting role for the matchup against his former team, a decision necessitated by a depleted frontcourt rotation. Head coach
The absence of Hukporti further complicates the team's depth, as the 76ers were already managing the unavailability of backup centers Adem Bona and Tacko Fall. Bona, currently in his second season, has been sidelined throughout training camp due to a left foot sprain sustained while representing Turkey's national team. While Nurse has expressed optimism regarding Bona's potential return during the preseason, the team is still awaiting a formal reevaluation.
Meanwhile, Tacko Fall, who is competing for a two-way roster spot on an Exhibit 10 deal, is also out of action. The 7-5 center underwent an MRI last Wednesday, which confirmed a left hip sprain. The organization expects to reevaluate his status in approximately two weeks.
Looking ahead, Coach Nurse has stated his intention to have the majority of his roster available for at least two of the team's three remaining preseason fixtures. Philadelphia is scheduled to face the Brooklyn Nets on the road this Thursday, followed by a pair of games against the Boston Celtics on Saturday and October 16. The 76ers are set to open their regular season on October 20 with a rematch against the Knicks in New York.
