PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Word spread on Sunday morning that Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons couldn’t play in the NBA All-Star Game because someone they made contact with before traveling to Atlanta tested positive for COVID-19.
Multiple reports indicated it was their personal barber.
While 76ers head coach Doc Rivers explained that Embiid and Simmons were disappointed to not play, he made it clear the more important thing to focus on is their health.
As of late Sunday night after Rivers’ Team Durant lost to Team LeBron 170-150, he said Embiid and Simmons are continuing to test negative.
"So far, so good, as far as their testing. They feel great," Rivers said, relieved.
Even though Rivers said they don’t know a specific timeline for the pair's return, he emphasized his hope that they're out no more than five days from last Saturday.
"If it’s five days, I think we’re in the clear," he said, "but anything longer, I think, then they’ll miss some games."
If goes as hoped, both stars would likely be available for the start of the second half of the season Thursday in Chicago. The Sixers are then scheduled to visit the Washington Wizards on Friday. When the Sixers host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, it will be their first home game with fans this season.
"We start out on the road, back-to-back games, with one practice. That’s a challenge in itself," Rivers said. "And then, obviously (if Embiid and Simmons aren’t able to play), that’s a lot of points, our two best defenders, so obviously it would hurt. But listen, we would show up and we would try to win both games, I can tell you that."
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark reported Sunday night on NBC10 that Embiid’s and Simmons’ timelines for coming back could be different, depending on when each last had contact with their barber.
The top of the Eastern Conference standings are very tight. The Sixers are in first place by a slim half-game over the Brooklyn Nets, who reportedly are adding Blake Griffin. And they are only two games up on the Milwaukee Bucks, who are feeling good about themselves after their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo won All-Star Game MVP after making every shot he took Sunday night.
While health is the most important thing, missing Embiid or Simmons could make it tougher for the Sixers to maintain that extremely marginal lead.
Sunday night was supposed to Embiid’s fourth consecutive All-Star Game start, and the third season in a row both Embiid and Simmons, who was on Team LeBron, were going to play in the game.
Instead, both were forced to watch the All-Star Game, and Embiid made sure to at least chime in via social media.
This is a developing story.