Barlow Sidelined By Back Injury, 3 Sixers Questionable For Opener

Barlow sidelined by back injury, 3 Sixers questionable for opener  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Dominick Barlow’s preseason back trouble has persisted.

The Sixers announced Monday that Barlow has “sufferd a lumbar spine bone stress response” and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The 23-year-old forward missed the entire preseason.

“He just has some soreness that he’s dealing with,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse had said last Tuesday. ”Giving him some real decent time off to see if that will kind of progress it quickly. There’s no timeline. Just hoping it gets a little better, he feels a little better and he can get back out there fairly shortly.”

The Sixers will open their season Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Barlow started the Sixers’ opener last year and had an excellent season for a player who began on a two-way contract, averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 23.8 minutes per game. 

Big men Ariel Hukporti (right Achilles tendon tear) and Tacko Fall (left quadriceps strain) are also sidelined. Hukporti will clearly be out for the long term, which was relevant in the Sixers using their last two-way slot on the 7-foot-6 Fall. 

The team listed three players as questionable: Center Adem Bona (left foot sprain), forward Dean Wade (left ankle sprain) and guard Anfernee Simons (left hamstring soreness/tightness). 

Wade did not practice Monday after hurting his ankle in the Sixers’ preseason finale, according to Nurse. Neither Simons nor Bona appeared in the preseason, but both have participated in recent practices. 

“It’s going to come down to the coaches and the medical staff,” Bona said Sunday, “but I’m just day to day and I’m excited for (Tuesday) night.” 

Simons was asked Monday whether he expects to play in the opener.

“I can’t confirm or deny that,” he said with a smile.