76ers finish unbeaten in ‘preseason’
Without Embiid, 76ers defeat Pacers in final exhibition
New era or old, the Sixers experienced one constant Friday: Joel Embiid was unavailable for a game.
Though Doc Rivers insisted the center’s absence from the final preseason game in Indiana was strictly precautionary, Embiid was reported as ill and did not make the trip.
An NBA source said the sickness was not coronavirus-related and was not serious.
“It won’t be long,” Rivers said before the Sixers’ 113-107 triumph. “We’re just being safe. So
I expect him to be ready for practice when we pick back up.”
Embiid has had a history of missing games, either as a result of load management or injury. The preseason game against the Pacers something less than crucial, it did not appear that the Sixers were near any sort of crisis.
However, since the Sixers will have played just two preseason games before opening the season Wednesday against visiting Washington, questions did arise about Embiid’s opportunity for sufficient conditioning.
“Obviously, when you only have two games, you want everybody to play them both, especially when we have such a new group,” Rivers said.
“It’s not just the coaching staff, but a lot of new players as well.
“There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Embiid was said to have enjoyed a productive training camp, and that showed in the preseason opener when the center scored 18 points in 17 minutes of a 108-99 victory over Boston. He was not made available to the press Friday.
“I learned long ago not to worry about things I can’t control,” Rivers said. “My guess is that in the first couple of months, we’re going to have to get used to things like this, all of us, the entire league. And the teams that handle it the best will do better. That’s my guess.”