Brown: Simmons, Embiid return in top shape
Brown says Embiid, Simmons will be ready to return when Sixers are »
When the NBA returns, the 76ers will have been strengthened by two months of unscheduled load management.
So says Brett Brown, at least.
“It could be,” the Sixers’ coach said, “a little bit of the silver lining of this pandemic.”
After having his preferred starting lineup available for only 19 of the Sixers’ first 65 games, Brown reported Friday during a video press conference that Ben Simmons has recovered from a back injury and that Joel Embiid is working toward maintaining his optimal playing weight.
If a two-month timeout to help flatten a virus curve helped Tobias Harris’ ouchy knee to settle and Josh Richardson to enjoy further recovery from a recent concussion, the Sixers will be as close to whole as possible for a fulfilling postseason.
None of that seemed as certain before the hiatus, with Simmons having missed nine of the last 10 games and the Sixers offering no timetable for a return.
“When Ben was injured in Milwaukee,
it was as disturbing a memory as it relates to a player that I can think of,” Brown said. “He was lying on his back. He was vomiting because of the pain. And we wanted to build him back up to some level of health where he can play basketball with us again. The timeline was always an interesting one.”
The Sixers had 17 regular-season games left when play stopped. While there were mild whispers that Simmons would be cleared in time for the playoffs, that was unclear. But echoing news that Elton Brand recently shared, including that Simmons was among certain Sixers to receive permission to use the team’s training facility in Camden, N.J., for physical therapy but not basketball activity, Brown basically declared his point guard fit for NBA play.
“He is to be praised and applauded in a significant way for the professionalism and discipline he has shown,” Brown said. “He had the pass to get into the facility and he teed off on that. He has been outstanding.”
Ever in a battle to maintain top shape, particularly after extended periods of injury recovery, Embiid was healthy enough to play in the last game, a victory over visiting Detroit. But he had missed the previous five with a shoulder injury, and because of load management and other injuries, has played in just 44 games this season.
“Joel is always a topic,” Brown said. “We get the importance he represents as a complete parallel to, ‘Can you win a championship or not?’ That’s real. I have had many conversations with Jo. And he’s got a real desire to be at a playing weight that equals his best since he’s been in the league.
“With the restrictions that everybody has, we have to figure out ‘What does fitness look like?’ Our medical staff, strength and conditioning staff have been all over that part of it. We give the players, within the reality of what they have to work with, the best we can give.
“So both of them are in good places.”
As for the Sixers, they literally are not in the best place, for they are trapped in a three-state area where there has yet to be clearance for any of their facilities to open. NBA teams in other states have been cleared to return to some modified work.
Brown, who would have little to gain anyway from complaining, is not fearful that such staggered facility openings will thrust the Sixers
back on defense.
“The Northeast, as it sits, is the only part of the country that isn’t able to get in and begin the workouts,” Brown said. “As far as any competitive advantage, I don’t see it like that. We don’t worry about that too much. I’m assuming everyone knows what those workouts actually look like with the restrictions the league has put in, which is kind of a handcuff.
“But I don’t really see it as a negative, where we are put behind the eight-ball by not having the same opportunity as others.”
Brown assures that commissioner Adam Silver has been in close contact with the coaches about the NBA’s plans to resume. Various leaked reports have been that games will be played with no fans in the stands. At an NBAbest 29-2 at home, such a situation would be anything but helpful to the 76ers.
“I think everybody is starved to try to get back into play,” Brown said. “So obviously playing in front of no fans, especially our fans, isn’t ideal. It’s not ideal. Do I think it will water-down the competitive side? No, I don’t. But I think it’s going to create things that none of us can forecast. Of course, it’s going to have some level of an impact.
“I do feel that just the mere fact that we will be playing again might be able to sort of minimize any awkwardness of playing before zero fans.”