The Sixers will be getting one of their shooters back tonight against the first place Hawks as Hollis Thompson will return after missing 11 games with an upper respiratory infection. After practice on Tuesday, coach Brett Brown told Thompson he would be playing.
“Today was a short practice and afterwards Coach Brown said, ‘You’re playing tomorrow,’” Thompson said.
The original plan was to send Thompson to play for the Delaware 87ers of the D-League to regain his form.
"I was going to go there to get my rhythm back and game shape," Thompson said. [CSNPhilly.com]
This season, Thompson is averaging 7.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Sixers. His shooting percentage is down seven percent from last season while his three point range accuracy has also wavered, shooting just 33.3% this season. He shot 40.1% from beyond the arc last season. The time off has given Thompson the opportunity to watch the team progressively improve.
"I got a chance to sit down and watch us," Thompson said. "It has been fun to watch because I can tell we are getting better. We are playing together. We are having fun, and we are definitely getting better." [CSNPhilly.com]
Thompson shed almost 15 pounds during his sickness, dropping to 194 from 204. He hopes to get back up to 205. Brett Brown will likely ease Thompson back into the rotation before he's inserted back into the starting five, but with Robert Covington's success, Thompson may
The Sixers (7-29) host the Eastern Conference leading Atlanta Hawks (29-8) tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. They lost to the Hawks in Atlanta back on December 10th, 95-79.
