Hawes Out Tonight
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Hawes Out Tonight
Center Spencer Hawes said following this morning’s shootaround that he would not play in tonight’s 76ers game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center. Hawes is suffering from an Achilles injury that forced him to miss Wednesday’s 108-104 overtime loss to the visiting Denver Nuggets.
“I am out tonight and hopefully another day or two and I will be back and won’t have to worry about it,” Hawes said.
When asked if he would make the trip to Miami for tomorrow’s game with the Heat, Hawes said he wasn’t sure.
Coach Doug Collins seemed to be leaning toward leaving Hawes at home on Saturday.
“My guess is that Spencer is not going to be able to play (Saturday),” Collins said. “If he doesn’t go to Miami and stays back here, getting treatment will be critical.”
The Sixers have five home games in an eight-day period, beginning with Monday’s matchup with the Washington Wizards.
“I am hoping and praying we can get Spencer back, (when) we have the five home games next week,” Collins said. “This game tonight and those five home games next week will really give you a lot of direction on what we are going to be able to do.”
Besides Washington, Sixers will also New Jersey on Wednesday, Charlotte on Friday, Detroit on Saturday and Orlando on Monday, Jan. 30.
“Not to put any extra emphasis on that, but you are at home and playing teams that you have already played before and had some success against,” Collins said. “So we need Spencer to get back.”
kevin garnett for AI AND A FIRST ROUND PICK, IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!!!!!!— VANIMALS SWEATY GOGGLES- @Bear....remember when I said if they rushed the big guy back with a bad back he wouldn't be able to contribute much and would end up a flat footed participant? ta-da!.....well, this is what happens, an achilles injury from hobbling around trying to run and play with a bad back....or he could have had the achilles problem first, favored it ending up with the back problem...chicken or the egg situation.......there is another scenerio though...his back could be worsening and this achillies injury might be more like sciatica that is misdiagnosed.....happens all the time. Hope the guy gets straightened out soon, he is vital to the 76ers success. However big guys and backs can be a real nightmare.....— Mark1npt
- @yes, I remember...it was the day after his back spasms against the Kings...and we talked about how he'd be grinded prematurely back into the fray...And a sore achilles will not soothe itself away...Next, his conditioning will suffer some to boot...It may be time for Nik V to get the chance to become the player they think he'll be (or not)...and it's time for Rod Thorn to find his cell phone....Manimal!— bearsfriend
- Vanimals- Thank god you're not the GM! First off, garnett doesn't solve our center issues because he's a power forward. Second, he's no more clutch than iggy. third, he's older than brand and shockingly...more injury prone. did you just wake up from a 3 year coma or something?— 76ers in 2076
- It's time to start kicking the tires on acquiring JaVale McGee from Washington. The Wiz seem to be in a freefall mode already. Flip Saunders is walking on some serious thin ice in DC right now. If they decide to blow things up, maybe McGee could be had. The Sixers have roughly five million with the trade exception from the Speights deal. There is also Nocioni's expiring contract at about 6.6 million. The Sixers have some wiggle room to add a big man. McGee, who will be a restricted free agent, would give that starting lineup a shot blocking presence. A consistent shot blocker added to this defense would make this team a very unpleasant opponent in the playoffs. I'm certainly not ready to write Spencer Hawes off. This move would more than buy him time to get himself healthy. That Denver game was evidence that The Sixers need to add another center. Collins only gave Nik Vuc about 12 minutes of playing time. With February's schedule just around the corner, now is the time to strike.— Seeing Red
- Tough to keep a rookie out of foul trouble, but if we can do that with Vuc, then I don't think we miss Hawes all that much. Big "if", of course.
Franchise really, really needs this win tonight, and if they get it, I think you'll start seeing 80%+ of WFC capacity thereafter (barring a collapse of course).— evolutionary - @76er...at least he likes Worley.— bearsfriend
- so he hasn't been in a 3 year coma? than what's his excuse?— 76ers in 2076
Comment removed.- @Quixote...yes...I called into space (actually on the Phiilies site)and inquired about obtaining Mark1pt for his medical expertise on this ongoing matter...Now if Rod can just put down the popcorn for a minute, and obtain a frontline banger.— bearsfriend
- I don't know why Vuc didn't play in second half against nuggets.He seems to be able to do just about everything.Very fudamentally sound.
I say,use up his fouls and disrupt the other team in the paint.I was starting to see a little o'le defense as denver drove for layup after layup and that has not happened since DC came to town.— greg0911 - Sixers need to extend thier bench with some capable vets. Allen and Brackins need to be send to the D-league and play. Not doing anything but watching up here.— edogs
- I'm tired of Hawe's injury drama already. He has shown no ability to stay healthy during his Philly tenure, and I hope they don't consider re-signing him to a multiple year deal after this year. He has talent, but professional sports are replete with stories of talented guys who couldn't stay healthy.— blaqjaq
- @BLAQJAQ, I agree, his future role with the sixers is as a very capable backup center in this league.— edogs
- time for vuc and brand to step up (gulp)— esesjay
- @edog, not so sure...most of these young guys have no clue about how to manage a season....they will learn how to and get more rest, etc....and most of them haven't grown into their strong finished bodies untl 24-25 or so......if Hawes can stay healthy, he CAN be a very good starting center, not a backup....if he just can't stay healthy, then of course he'll probably only be able to play limited minutes and will have to settle for a backup role. When you deal with Professional/Olympic caliber athletes, it's not often the best athlete who wins the gold or makes it to MLB....it's the athlete who's body has survived all the trials and tribulations (wear and tear) needed to outlast so much of his competition to come out on top. Of course he is also talented, but most times luck and health are wild cards that trump talent.— Mark1npt
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
