PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There is no question the 76ers were missing Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in their 132-94 loss to Milwaukee. There are no worries about either player being able to return for the postseason.
The bigger fear is getting in sync before the playoffs.
The Sixers lost their fourth in a row as they were blasted by the Bucks. Even without Embiid and Simmons, the team cut the deficit to one in the third quarter before the Bucks pulled away. It not only extended the Sixers' losing streak, but gave Milwaukee a season sweep of head coach Doc Rivers' squad.
"They were better," said Rivers. "Honestly, we made our own mistakes. We missed three or four shots in a row, and they made shots."
The team's biggest concern is not the four-game losing streak or going winless against a Bucks team they could see in the playoffs at some point. Rather, it appears to be whether they'll get enough time on the court together over the final 12 games. The Sixers are far from the only team dealing with injuries this season, but Seth Curry knows he and his teammates need time together on the court.
"We've got to hopefully get healthy these last few games down the stretch and get on the court together and figure it out," Curry said. "It’s just a tough season. A lot of teams are going through this right now."
Related
Rivers does not know if either Simmons or Embiid will be ready to play on Monday when the Sixers begin a three-game homestand. Simmons is dealing with an undisclosed illness, and Embiid is bothered by a shoulder injury. As their teammates await their return, Curry says they still have games to play no matter who is available.
"We've got to control what we can control," said Curry. "We need to be concerned about it. When we go out on the floor, we've got to play better than we've played the last few games. If guys are unable to play, they're unable to play."
If Embiid and Simmons return this coming week, they'll have an excellent opportunity to get back into a rhythm with their teammates. First up is a struggling Oklahoma City squad, then back-to-back games against the Atlanta Hawks, who are currently sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Until they are ready, Rivers can only play whoever is available and hope things come together in time with the postseason drawing closer.
"Guys are not able to play," Rivers said. "I don’t know what else I can do. I can't play a hurt guy."