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Sixers' Robert Covington to face Thunder

The 76ers small forward has missed the last two games because of a lower-back contusion.

Robert Covington has sat out the last two Sixers games.
Robert Covington has sat out the last two Sixers games.Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

Robert Covington will play in Friday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center.

The 76ers small forward, who turned 27 on Thursday, has missed the last two games because of a lower-back contusion.

"I've been feeling good," he said Thursday. "The past few days, I have been doing a lot of rehab, a lot of a acupuncture stuff."

Covington said he didn't have any limitations Thursday. In Wednesday's acupuncture session, he "did a lot of movement, and a lot stuff that really opened up my back," he said.

The Chicago native suffered the injury with 68 seconds left in Saturday night's setback against the Cleveland Cavaliers when he fell into the stands while trying to save the ball. His lower back and upper buttocks hit a metal object near the Cavs' bench.

He remained behind the bench on his back during a Sixers timeout and had to be helped off the court. His CT scan and X-rays were negative. The fifth-year veteran was dealing with back stiffness.

"I didn't expect to sit out the last two games," Covington said. "I thought it would be a bad bruise and the next day I would be fine.

"But I guess the reaction to the accident was heightened based off the next day how I felt."

In addition to his stiffness, Covington didn't have his usual range of motion.