Getty Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers get back on defense during a game against the Washington Wizards.
The Philadelphia 76ers will be down two key starters against the Portland Trail Blazers. Joel Embiid is taking the night off for a load management day and it isn’t related to his lingering knee injury, according to the team. Tobias Harris is out due to health and safety protocols.
The Sixers announced Embiid’s absence after shootaround, but Harris was scratched minutes prior to tip-off. Furkan Korkmaz took Harris’ place in the starting five, while Andre Drummond filled in for Embiid. Portland entered the game at full strength.
The player to watch is All-Star point guard Damian Lillard who was the subject of multiple trade rumors in the offseason, including several wild ones sending him to Philly. Lillard recently told reporters he wasn’t leaving the Trail Blazers.
“Everybody is saying what they think I’m thinking,” Lillard said, via The Athletic, “and what they think I’m going to do, but like, I’m not leaving Portland, you know?”
Portland sent out a starting lineup of Lillard, CJ McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Robert Covington, Norman Powell. Philadelphia went with Korkmaz, Drummond, Danny Green, Seth Curry, Tyrese Maxey. The teams were slated to tip things off at 7 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center.
tonights starting five:
• @DGreen_14
• @FurkanKorkmaz
• @AndreDrummond
• @SdotCurry
• @TyreseMaxey
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Ben Simmons Amps Up Workouts
Ben Simmons was spotted at shootaround on Saturday, October 30 before the Sixers-Hawks matchup. He didn’t play in the game but the fact he was visible to reporters at the practice facility was telling. And surprising. Head coach Doc Rivers addressed Simmons’ status before his team took on Portland.
According to The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, Simmons was in the gym on Monday and did his most shooting work since returning to the squad on October 11. He has cited mental health issues for sitting out.
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers said today was the most shooting he’s seen Ben Simmons do, by far.
No one knows for sure when (or if) Simmons will take the floor this season. Not even Rivers.
“I have no idea, honestly,” Rivers told reporters, via 76ers Maven. “I stay out of it. I really do. My job is to coach the guys that are here and then believe that the guys who are on the team will play someday. That’s all I have to be as a coach. I don’t get caught up in all of the stuff.”
Embiid Trying to Play in More Games
Embiid’s decision to rest against Portland is part of his long-term plan to stay healthy. He knows that the few weeks he missed last season due to injury hindered his MVP chances. The 7-footer finished second to Nikola Jokic mainly because of his total games played.
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid sitting out against the Blazers: “It had nothing to do with his knee, it was just planned. This was the day that we had planned. We kind of went over schedule, we go over it monthly… It doesn’t always go as planned but so far, so good.”
He’s hoping for a different outcome this year, although getting hit in the kneecap in the season opener has made it tougher. Embiid has been playing through pain ever since that game in New Orleans.
“I’m just trying to be available for my teammates, for my team,” Embiid said. “You know, every single night playing hard and trying to do the best job I can, but that has nothing to do with anything. Every single game we got to come in with the mindset of playing as many games as I can.
“And this year, obviously, that first game it was unfortunate what happened. I got hit during the first game so it kind of handicapped me. But I got to come in with the mindset of playing more games than I have in the past. This year I’m – whatever I’m needed to do, I’m doing it.”