Sixers coach Doc Rivers gives health update on Joel Embiid, team mindset

The Philadelphia 76ers knew they were going to be a little shorthanded on Monday when they returned home to host the New York Knicks and begin a 3-game homestand. The Sixers were already missing guys like Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle due to the health and safety protocols, but then they lost another.

Star big man Joel Embiid entered the protocols on Monday and it appears that he has tested positive for COVID-19 as he is expected to miss several games. Embiid now joins Harris, Thybulle, and Isaiah Joe in the protocols as the Sixers are being ravaged by COVID for the second straight season after missing a lot of guys in the 2020-21 season as well.

As the Sixers prepared for the Knicks, coach Doc Rivers gave an update on his star leader.

“He’s not doing great, he’s struggling,” said Rivers. “Very similar to Tobias so that’s all I can tell you.”

Rivers is a little concerned at this point as Embiid is seemingly fully vaccinated against COVID. At this point, the Sixers just have to be careful with it.

“It’s a concern, obviously, because what is it four guys now?” Rivers added. “And a staff member. It clearly is a concern.”

Philadelphia will be playing a tough opponent on Monday as Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks are not going to care that the Sixers are missing so many guys. The team has been able to pull out wins despite being down so many guys so they will have to find a way.

“We just play,” Rivers added. “Georges (Niang) jokingly today before we even knew about Joel walked out at shootaround and said ‘How many guys we have today to win?’ That was his comment today and that’s been our whole thought. I guarantee Thibs and the Knicks are not going to feel bad for us when the game starts. We understand that.”

The Knicks have already beaten the Sixers earlier in the season at Madison Square Garden so now they will have to be able to figure this out and come away with a win.

“We have to just keep trying to find ways to play to win to score and do whatever we have to and we’ve done that this far,” Rivers finished. “Obviously, losing Joel without Tobias, without Matisse, we get thin, but at the end of the day, we’re going to play. We’re going to compete.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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