Philadelphia 76ers’ Important Bench Player Plans to Make Return in Game 3 Vs. New York Knicks

Hopefully, they will get the help they need when De’Anthony Melton said he plans to return in Game 3 on Thursday after dealing with a nagging back injury.

“Yesterday, I was able to get up and down, get some live action. So that was really good for me and my body,” Melton told reporters via Sam DiGiovanni from ClutchPoints on X (formerly known as Twitter). “Today, I went through practice, so I’m feeling good. I’m feeling good. I’m ready for the game tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse added that Melton will be given the questionable tag when the next official injury report is released soon.

De’Anthony Melton only managed to play 38 regular-season games, including only six in 2024. The 25-year-old guard from USC averaged 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this season, and the team is hoping that he’ll be their spark off the bench in their next few games.

De’Anthony Melton sees the Philadelphia 76ers as a “special” group

Despite trailing 0-2 against the New York Knicks in the first round, De’Anthony Melton believes the Philadelphia 76ers can make a comeback and go far in the postseason, especially when they’re at full strength.

“I feel like when this team is fully healthy and we got everybody going, I feel like we’re the best team in the league,” Melton claimed. 

“I feel like we’ve all felt like that even from the beginning of the year. I understand we have had a lot of trades, but honestly, we’ve gotten better after the trade deadline,” he added.

Getting De’Anthony Melton back will be a huge boost for the Philadelphia 76ers who need more production from their bench, as the New York Knicks have outscored their reserves 58-17 in the first two games.