No Embiid, no Harris … just a ‘crazy’ victory over Blazers

PHILADELPHIA » Just when it appeared the Sixers were over their fixation on managing his workload, Joel Embiid was a healthy scratch before a 113-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers Monday.

Not bothering to provide cover, the official injury-report explanation for Embiid’s absence was “rest.” However, he did tear the meniscus in his right knee late last season, declined offseason surgery, irritated it in an Opening Night collision in New Orleans and had been admitting to playing in pain ever since.

Doc Rivers refused to confirm or deny a credible report that Embiid recently underwent an MRI without troubling results.

“I’m not talking about medical stuff,” Rivers said. “I don’t think that is anything we should share.”

The Sixers played six games in 10 days to start the season, Embiid not only starting each but implying that he was no longer interested in taking the unnecessary night off.

“I am playing a game I love,” he recently said. “Every single day I wake up, that’s what I want to do. So that’s what I’ll keep focusing on. And whatever happens, happens.”

The Blazers’ visit began a series of six games in nine nights for the Sixers.

Andre Drummond started in place of Embiid and provided 14 points and 15 rebounds.

“We had to use some crazy lineups,” Rivers said. “We played a lot of smallball. But every single guy did something to help us win the game.”

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Shortly after Rivers decided that medical issues were not to be shared, the Sixers scratched Tobias Harris for health and safety protocols. It is unclear how many games the 19.8-point scorer will miss.

“I don’t know, honestly,”

Rivers said. “It happened about 40 minutes before the game.”

Harris had reported to the Wells Fargo Center before being scratched. Furkan Korkmaz replaced Harris and scored 15 points.

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Danny Green played 19 minutes and shot 4-for-5, but left early with a tight left hamstring.

“He kept grabbing it,” Rivers said. “He never wants to come out of a game. Since he wanted to come out has me, I would say, a little concerned.”

Rivers had started the same lineup of Embiid, Harris, Green, Seth Curry and Tyrese Maxey through six games.

Continuing his hot start, Curry scored a game-high 23.

“I was picking my spots,” he said. “And everybody did a good job sharing the basketball.”

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Ben Simmons missed his seventh consecutive game as he strives to feel mentally comfortable to play. Though Rivers has refused to dwell on the situation, he did indicate that Simmons has been busier in recent days.

“It’s the same stuff,” Rivers said. “I don’t know if you would call it progress or not. There was definitely more shooting and more work today, for sure. This is the most I’ve seen him working, by far.”

Said Rivers: “We were doing the simplest thing there is to do in basketball: Passing to the open man.”

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With Simmons known to be unhappy in Philadelphia and Damian Lillard reportedly growing restless in Portland, the notion of an exchange of starting guards has generated heavy gossip.

For that, it was possible to hear chants of “We want Lillard” throughout the game.

Lillard scored 20 points and had 10 assists.