Getty Ben Simmons (left), Sixers
Add Matisse Thybulle to the growing list of Philadelphia 76ers players in the health and safety protocol. The defensive stopper joins Tobias Harris and Isaiah Joe as guys who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or been in close contact with someone who has. Not good.
The Sixers are down to eight healthy players for Saturday night’s road matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Furkan Korkmaz (wrist) and Danny Green (hamstring) also headline the injury report with the questionable designation while Joel Embiid continues to battle an ongoing knee issue. The runner-up for MVP carries no official injury tag for this one.
That leaves the following guys with no aches or pains: Seth Curry, Shake Milton, Andre Drummond, Tyrese Maxey, Paul Reed, Charles Bassey, Georges Niang. Ben Simmons remains out due to personal reasons.
Tobias Harris out.
Matisse Thybulle out.
Furkan Korkmaz questionable.
Danny Green questionable.
Sixers @ Bulls tonight.
Despite the sudden rash of injuries, the Sixers have won five straight games and hold the best record in the Eastern Conference at 7-2. It’s a testament to hard work and togetherness, according to head coach Doc Rivers.
“This group is really close,” Rivers said after a 109-98 win over Detroit, via the Associated Press. “They don’t have any distractions, and they play hard.”
Sixers about to shoot around in Chicago. Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz are here and dressed, but Doc Rivers said their status for tonight’s game is still up in the air.
The entire team underwent coronavirus testing prior to Thursday’s game (November 4) after Joe was placed in COVID-19 protocol. Harris entered it on Monday, November 1 and Thybulle on Friday, November 5. It’s been a tumultuous few days in Philly yet they keep winning.
“We have gritty guys who are just here to win basketball games,” Niang said, via NBA.com. “We came in here on the second half of a back-to-back after a tough win against Chicago plus everything this morning and got a win. This is a big team effort.”
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Simmons Fined $360K Per Missed Game
The Sixers have resumed fining Ben Simmons for missed games after the disgruntled star failed to provide documentation for his alleged mental health treatments. The team isn’t asking Simmons to return if he’s not ready, they just want to know he’s doing what he says he’s doing. The three-time All-Star has turned down help from Sixers staffers.
Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck pointed to language in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement that says players receiving outside treatment for injuries (including mental health issues) must provide proof.
“The point of contention is the absence of a follow-up from Simmons in the time since,” Neubeck wrote. “Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, if a player has a medical issue that is impacting their ability to play, they have an obligation to provide any and all relevant information to the team on that issue if they are working with parties outside the team to treat it.”
One Goal: Win Basketball Games
The Sixers don’t seem to care who suits up. They shuffle players in and out and keep winning basketball games. If they have to throw out a smaller lineup, they do it. If they can go bigger – Rivers played Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond in tandem the other night – they’ll do it that way. And no one is whining about minutes or crying over injuries.
“That’s just this team, despite who is playing or who isn’t playing, we all have one common goal and that’s just to win the basketball game and play to the best of our ability and give it all that we have,” Drummond said.
🗣️”the guys we have here are more than capable of winning a basketball game.”
@LaurenMRosen caught up with @AndreDrummond at shootaround in the Windy City.