Getty Sixers wing Danny Green had other offers in free agency, but preferred the stability in Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid is the latest Philadelphia 76ers player to enter the COVID-19 protocol. He joined teammates Tobias Harris, Isaiah Joe, Matisse Thybulle as the team endures a challenging rough patch stemming from health and safety setbacks.
Players who test positive for the novel coronavirus must quarantine for 10 days and deliver back-to-back negative tests before they can return. Harris has been battling COVID-19 since November 1. He was showing symptoms and shared a message on Twitter. Meanwhile, Embiid wasn’t in the building prior to tip-off against the New York Knicks but Doc Rivers provided a health update on the 7-footer. Embiid is “not doing great,” according to his head coach.
“He’s struggling with it, very similar to Tobias,” Rivers told reporters. “So, you know, it’s all I can tell you.”
Rivers on Embiid’s COVID symptoms: “He’s not doing great, he’s struggling with it, very similar to Tobias.”
The Sixers saw the return of Danny Green from a hamstring injury versus New York. He returned to his usual spot in the starting five alongside Seth Curry, Furkan Kokrmaz, Andre Drummond, Tyrese Maxey. Injuries and health and safety protocols have taken a real toll on Philadelphia over their first 10 games. Yet they somehow keep winning games and hold the best record in the Eastern Conference at 8-2.
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‘Immaculate Vibes’ for Tyrese Maxey
Second-year guard Tyrese Maxey took a much-needed rest day on November 7. He didn’t want to, but he heeded advice from one wily veteran. Danny Green took the basketball away from him at the practice facility and told Maxey to go home. He’s logged 156 minutes over his last four contests, or 39 minutes per night.
The 21-year-old was back in the gym at 7 a.m. on November 8, according to Rivers. Maxey told assistant coach Sam Cassell “he was tired for the first time in his life.” Call him the Energizer bunny. He referenced “immaculate vibes” around this year’s unflappable Sixers squad.
Maxey played 90 minutes over the last two games.
Ben Simmons Takes Positive Step
Ben Simmons remains out for what the Sixers are calling “personal reasons” as he seeks help for his mental health issues. He’s not in the right frame of mind to return to the basketball court. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Simmons has agreed to meet with a “team-recommended specialist to discuss mental health concerns.” Hopefully, it’s a step in the right direction.
ESPN Sources: After initial reluctance, Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons has met with a team-recommended specialist to discuss mental health concerns. Among other issues, the organization had recently reinstituted fines for Simmons’ failure to agree to those meetings.
The Sixers fined him $360,000 for missing a recent game, mainly because the three-time All-Star hadn’t disclosed what kind of treatment he was getting. Simmons claims he had been seeing a third party doctor, not the Sixers medical staff. The disgruntled point guard remains the subject of trade rumors following hurt feelings from last year’s playoffs. The Boston Celtics have surfaced as the latest team to inquire about Simmons.