PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers entered Wednesday’s matchup with the Washington Wizards at home without their superstar big man, Joel Embiid, for the second consecutive game due to a non-COVID illness.
Without the big fella, they had trouble defending Wizards star Kristaps Porzingis and the result was a 121-111 loss. It’s clear the Sixers felt his absence and they need Embiid to get healthy again.
Before the loss, coach Doc Rivers gave an update on the MVP candidate as he is not with the team as he continues to heal from the flu.
“He has the flu and doctors tell you not to be around the team,” said the coach. “I don’t know how we survived in our day because we played with the flu and everything. Not just the playing part, which is stupid when you think about it, but how everyone else didn’t get sick? I don’t know.”
As Embiid continues to recuperate, Rivers agrees the right move is to keep him away from the team, preventing everyone else from catching the flu.
“I think it’s the right thing that we’re doing now,” he added. “Ultimately, I think that started before COVID had actually started, and I think it’s the right thing because teams used to go on road trips and one guy would get sick and the next thing you know, the whole team eventually got sick. So I think we’re doing the right thing except for your key guys aren’t around sometimes and that hurts you.”
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