The Sixers have lost three games in a row and they’re still suffering from a rash of missing players due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. In the Miami Heat, the Sixers face a team dealing with as severe a case as Philly.
The situation has been so bad in Miami that their recent game against the Boston Celtics was postponed.
The NBA has gifted that opportunity to other teams but the Sixers have not been so lucky. The league even had the audacity to fine the team after forcing them to play a game they never should have.
The question remains, will the Heat and Sixers still play tonight?
Game On?
There’s no concise answer yet but the team must be prepared in the event that the game is played.
It all starts with getting healthy. According to Doc Rivers, Simmons will hopefully be ready to go tomorrow but he “can’t guarantee any of that”.
If Simmons is ready to go, the Sixers’ chances at winning grow astronomically. If not, then it’ll be another long night of Joel Embiid carrying the team on his back.
Depth is clearly an issue for both teams thanks to the COVID outbreak. Already an issue for Philadelphia, the team will have no choice but to continue to rely on players such as Tyrese Maxey and Isaiah Joe.
The youth have been an exciting storyline for the Sixers but they’re not exactly enough to make Philly contenders. If the team continues to struggle to field a proper team, the focus should be developing youth without overextending Joel Embiid.
Obviously, there is motivation to a matchup against the Miami Heat but the team can’t risk burning out their remaining players.
Sixers Tip-Off
If everything follows the current schedule tip-off will be at 7:00 PM EST. Expect more details to come soon. If nothing else it will be a great opportunity to watch more of Maxey, Joe, and hopefully, Paul Reed sees increased minutes too.
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
