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Moultrie to play against Clippers

LOS ANGELES – Arnett Moultrie is scheduled to make this season's 76ers debut Sunday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward/center was recalled Sunday morning from the Delaware 87ers, the franchise's NBA Development League team.

Moultrie had seven points, five rebounds and a blocked shot  for the Sevens in Saturday night's 102-95 setback to the Tulsa 66ers.  He flew from Oklahoma to Los Angeles on Sunday following a three-game assignment.  Moultrie, who averaged 13.7 points during the stint, was sent down to get into playing shape.

He hasn't played this season since practicing for the first time in late December after preseason ankle surgery.

"He has attained the fitness goals that we'd put to him," Sixers coach Brett Brown said after Sunday's shootaround at  Santa Monica High School. "We look forward to getting him back in the mix tonight."

Brown said Moultrie will come in "and play right off the bat."

"We have three bigs," the coach added. "He will be the fourth big. You expect with the bigs we will be playing, he's got to provide I supposed additional comfort when you look the down bench, [reserve swingman] Hollis [Thompson] doesn't have to guard [Clippers all-star power forward] Blake Griffin."

Brown applauded Moutrie for going down to the NBDL with class and getting his fitness to the level the Sixers require.

However, he was shipped to Delaware on Tuesday, one day after the former first-round pick had some choice words for the coaching staff.  Moultrie was upset that he hasn't yet played this season.

The Sixers had said the holdup was Moultrie's noticeable lack of conditioning.

"It's not my ankle," Moultrie said. "It's not my conditioning. But at this point, I really don't care. I'm just sick of all the excuses. If it ain't one thing, it's another thing."

He averaged 3.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 11.5 minutes in 47 games played last season as a rookie.  But Moultrie showed some promise, making 12 consecutive shot attempts during a four-game span from Feb. 28 to March 5.  He also shot 66.7 percent during his final 14 games played in the 2012-13 season.


Follow and contact Inquirer 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers