Getty Isaiah Joe of the Philadelphia 76ers is introduced before a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Tobias Harris was the first Philadelphia 76er to test positive for COVID-19. He’s out for six more days after contracting coronavirus on November 1. Now another player has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Sixers guard Isaiah Joe either tested positive or was in close contact with someone who did. He joins Harris on the quarantine list and must sit out for at least 10 days. The news sparked panic on the team as the entire roster had to undergo COVID-19 testing prior to tip-off against the Detroit Pistons. An outbreak probably would have forced them to forfeit the game. Luckily, that’s not the case.
Head coach Doc Rivers told reporters that everyone else tested negative. They should have 11 bodies at their disposal as they look to push their winning streak to five straight in Motown. Furkan Korkmaz and Joel Embiid were listed questionable on the official injury report, but the expectation is they’ll suit up. The Sixers were already down five players: Harris, Joe, Danny Green (hamstring), Ben Simmons (mental), Grant Riller (knee).
Doc Rivers said the rest of the Sixers players tested negative on their COVID tests. They have ten players available if Joel Embiid and Furkan Korkmaz (who are both questionable) play.
Doc Rivers said that the full team undergoing COVID testing disrupted their film session and walk-thru planned for today ahead of the Sixers’ game at Detroit. He hopes that they just played the Pistons will help, and said that “life happens.”
The injuries haven’t mattered too much in recent days. The Sixers keep grinding out wins against good teams, like the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls. Their makeshift starting five (minus Embiid) has included Korkmaz, Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, Matisse Thybulle, Seth Curry. Embiid might be questionable for the foreseeable future as he nurses a lingering knee injury suffered in the season opener.
Joel Embiid told Ramona Shelburne that he couldn’t walk for two days after their season opener due to knee soreness.🤯
(via NBA Today)
The latest Sixers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Sixers newsletter here!
Second-Round Picks Stepping Up
The Sixers have been relying on their second unit to step up in clutch moments in the early going. Second-round picks like Georges Niang, Tyrese Maxey, Shake Milton have all seen increased minutes, along with undrafted hero Seth Curry. Those guys are share one important thing in common: they know how to fight and grind it out. Nothing was handed to any of them.
“You find a common ground, a common denominator that you guys can bond on. Nothing was really given to any of us,” Niang said. “In this crazy league, you like to see those guys win. I think that definitely has brought us closer. I think we understand that as those type of guys we have to maximize every opportunity that you’re given. And I think that we’re doing that.”
The 6ers’ bench produced the 5th most points in ball over the past 4 games.
Georges Niang x Shake Milton combined for 93 of the bench’s 149 points in that span.
Those two alone accounted for over 80% of the bench’s production, including assists.
In other words, they’re ballin.
The team has been doing it with a balanced attack, too. Five players hit double-digits versus Chicago, with seven guys scoring at least 10 points against Portland. Niang has gone for 21 and 18 in those games.
“I think the biggest thing with this team is we’re having fun playing alongside each other,” Niang said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. The ball doesn’t stick. It’s flying around. Everybody’s sharing the wealth and everybody’s genuinely happy. You look at the box score and it’s all spread out. Everybody’s able to do multiple things.”
Georges Niang’s motivation for his big night is fantastic 😂👏