Joel Embiid ruled out of second straight game with non-Covid related illness

For the second straight game the Philadelphia 76ers will be without star big-man Joel Embiid who is suffering a non-Covid related illness.

For the second straight game the Philadelphia 76ers will be without star big-man Joel Embiid who is suffering a non-Covid related illness. The Sixers were able to pick up the slack offensively in the first game without him, against the Washington Wizards.

The Wizards did find a lot of success against the smaller Sixers lineup though. Kristaps Porzingis was highly effective scoring 32 points and Rui Hachimura scored 10 points off the bench.

Coach Doc Rivers decided to stick with the smaller lineup and not insert Montrezl Harrell into the starting lineup. Instead he put De’Anthony Melton in for more floor spacing and perimeter defense. Rivers has a lot to think about heading into the second game in a row against the Wizards knowing the defensive problems he faced last game.

It will be interesting to see how Rivers manages the lineups and what adjustments he makes to the game plan tonight. The game starts tonight at 6 p.m. EDT in Philadelphia.

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