Thybulle questionable for Sunday’s game; Korkmaz could be back
Thybulle aggravated a shoulder injury in Friday's loss at Dallas. Korkmaz is recovering from knee soreness
CHICAGO — The 76ers have a good-news, bad-news situation when it comes to availability.
The good news is reserve swingman Furkan Korkmaz was upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. Korkmaz missed the past three games with left knee soreness.
The bad news is starting swingman Matisse Thybulle is listed as questionable with right shoulder soreness.
This came after he tweaked his shoulder on a fourth-quarter drive to the basket in Friday’s 107-98 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks. It was Thybulle’s sixth game back after being sidelined with a sprained right shoulder.
The third-year veteran reinjured the shoulder while being fouled by Dwight Powell on a layup attempt with 3 minutes, 12 seconds remaining. In noticeable pain and unable to get a full range of motion in his right arm, Thybulle missed both free throw attempts.
He was subbed out of the game with 1:39 remaining.
Thybulle is the team’s best perimeter defender, averaging a league fifth-best 1.8 steals per game. The second-team All-Defensive selection is also averaging 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 block.
The Sixers (31-21) will miss his presence against the Bulls’ standout perimeter players.
Korkmaz’s knee buckled on a drive to the basket with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter of Jan. 29′s 103-101 victory over the Sacramento Kings. He was fouled on the play and limped to the bench while the Kings challenged the call. He then walked gingerly to the foul line after the call was confirmed and split a pair of free throws.
Korkmaz remained in the game for the rest of the quarter, but did not play in the fourth and hasn’t played since.
Meanwhile, Shake Milton will miss his 17th consecutive game with a back contusion.
Bulls report
Chicago All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine (back spasms) and Coby White (right adductor strain) are questionable.
However, the Eastern Conference first-place Bulls (33-19) will be without Lonzo Ball (left meniscus tear), Alex Caruso (fractured right wrist), Chester’s Derrick Jones Jr. (fractured right finger), and Patrick Williams (ligament tear in left wrist).
The Sixers, who are fifth in the Eastern Conference, are looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Sunday’s game will mark their third of this season’s four series meetings against Chicago. The Sixers won the first two meetings.