Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will each reportedly miss time due to contact tracing once the Philadelphia 76ers begin the second half of the season on Thursday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Embiid and Simmons will both sit on Thursday versus the Chicago Bulls due to a mandatory seven-day quarantine period after exposure to an individual who tested positive for the coronavirus. Embiid will be cleared to play on Friday versus the Washington Wizards while Simmons will be cleared on Saturday, meaning he will not play versus Washington.
Of course, the two players each missed the All-Star Game on Sunday after their personal barber returned a positive COVID-19 test. They each have tested negative since the potential exposure and are on track to return to team activities later this week. The team initially thought the quarantine was for five days, but the NBA ruled it seven days.
The team should be back at full strength on Sunday versus the San Antonio Spurs.
As long as each continues to test negative, Joel Embiid will be available to play on Friday at Washington and Ben Simmons will be clear to return on Saturday. Both Embiid and Simmons received seven-day quarantines due to exposure to individual who tested positive for COVID-19. https://t.co/mhZmLSsZxt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2021
The Sixers will open the second half of the season with the best record in the Eastern Conference, just half of a game ahead of the Brooklyn Nets. The team faces a relatively easy schedule to open up play and that should ensure they stay near the top of the standings without Embiid and Simmons.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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