76ers to Play Nuggets As Scheduled; Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons Out Due to Injury
Following the 76ers' recent COVID-19 contact tracing, the team will play the Nuggets as scheduled on Saturday.
However, the Sixers' game issues continue with Embiid and Ben Simmons out due to injury, coach Doc Rivers announced. Embiid is dealing with back stiffness, while Simmons is battling knee stiffness.
Philadelphia was expected to have nine eligible players, including Embiid, Danny Green and Paul Reed, who were cleared from protocol. With Embiid and Simmons out, the team has activated Mike Scott, but Rivers said there is "no way" Scott will play against Denver after missing the team's walkthrough.
The NBA requires teams to have eight eligible players in order to play.
Rivers told reporters on Zoom: "I don't think we should" be playing Saturday's game, stressing his concern for the wear-and-tear on his active players in the contest.
Ahead of the game, Philadelphia announced Green, Dakota Mathias, Dwight Howard, Isaiah Joe and Tyrese Maxey will make up the starting lineup. Reed, Scott and Tony Bradley will be on the bench.
Several Sixers, including Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton and Vincent Poirier, reportedly remain in health and safety protocols and will continue quarantining indefinitely.
The 76ers underwent contact tracing after guard Seth Curry reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The team learned of his positive result during Thursday's game against the Nets. He then went to an isolation room and left the arena separate from the team. Curry was not playing that night due to ankle soreness but spent the first quarter sitting on the team bench next to assistant coach Sam Cassell and Embiid.
There was already a chance the game could have been postponed due to the Sixers' close proximity to Curry, but their roster issues presented another challenge to have a full roster to be eligible to compete.
Denver enters the matchup missing rising star Michael Porter Jr., who has remains in the NBA's COVID-19 protocol due to contact tracing.
Tipoff for Saturday's game is set for 3 p.m. ET.
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