A good twenty days after the start of the season, COVID begins to be more than threatening in the NBA. A few sick people in Chicago, Seth Curry who pats people in the queues, and it is therefore quite naturally his Philadelphia franchise that finds itself in the center of attention. Scheduled to the program last night against Denver, the Sixers almost put a package worthy of the US Oyonnax in DM2 of 01, but finally managed to line up eight players, of which only seven will put the shorts against the Nuggets. Come on, incredible story from an incredible Sixers-Nuggets, we’ll let you sort out the true and the false.
2:30 p.m .: Shams Charania sends a first projection. Seth Curry positive, it is obviously all his clique who took risks without knowing it, and the protocol in place tells us that a lot of guys are uncertain for the evening game.
76ers’ players currently listed questionable for Saturday vs. Denver due to health and safety protocols:
Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Danny Green, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Vincent Poirier, Paul Reed
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
2:41 p.m.: Tim Bontemps also specifies that three other players are absent and / or draw, for health reasons unrelated to COVID
Sixers on the latest injury report:
Seth Curry (health and safety), Terrance Ferguson (personal) and Mike Scott (left knee contusion) are out.
Joel Embiid, Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, Vincent Poirier, Paul Reed and Matisse Thybulle are all questionable (H&S).
– Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 9, 2021
2:52 p.m.: According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the entire Sixers organization is blocked at the hotel, awaiting indications from Roselyne Bachelot.
The plan remains for the Sixers to bus back to Philadelphia tonight ahead of Saturday’s game vs. Denver, but team still is waiting in a Manhattan hotel. https://t.co/GqyMF1Eh4H
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2021
3:11 p.m .: according to our infiltrated source, the players pass the time by chaining the games of Power 4, except Dwight Howard for that matter, who struggles to understand the rules.
4:36 p.m .: still according to Shams, We learn that the group of people in quarantine in New York have been authorized to travel and will therefore join Pennsylvania to pass the virus on to the Nuggets in the evening.
The 76ers’ traveling party is leaving New York soon to return to Philadelphia after quarantining, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
5:52 p.m .: NBA officially announces that the game will take place. In other words, fuck it up, but everyone has to be negative or you will be beaten up.
The Sixers-Nuggets game will be played today, sources tell ESPN.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2021
5:55 p.m .: in response to the menace NBA, Sixers announce nine players available, all is well in the best of all possible worlds.
The Sixers are expected to have nine eligible players today, including three cleared from protocol: Joel Embiid, Danny Green and Paul Reed, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/4TBl3xJXaq
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2021
6 p.m .: Four of the uncertain players are officially listed out for the game. The roster of Doc Rivers takes the lead in the wing, and we understand then that Doc Rivers is not really a doctor.
76ers’ Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle and Vincent Poirier are each out today vs. Denver due to health and safety protocols and will receive quarantine period, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
18h10 : Vincent Poirier says I quote “too bad, I was fine the last few days, it puts a big brake on my ambitions of All-Star Game”
6:21 p.m .: Shams Charabia is well informed and tells us that a staff member has tested positive, like Richard Virenque in 97 well almost. The franchise is at bay, as is the United States Department of Health (which, by the way, does not exist).
A member of the 76ers training staff has registered a positive coronavirus test, leading to additional contact tracing within team, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. NBA is continuing its review process.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
6:22 p.m .: as Adrian Wojnarowski is too strong, he lets go of his way on ESPN and explains once again that nine players will be present tonight, in uniform. It reminds us strangely of when we announced a titular destiny to Sam Young at Spurs, or when we announced Anthony Bennett Rookie Of the Year.
7:11 p.m .: ah, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are also declared out for tonight because according to our sources a truth or truth would have slipped the day before, and we prefer not to tell you how all these little people possibly contracted the virus. Weird, we can’t hear Woj anymore.
76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are out today vs. Denver due to injury, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
7:18 p.m. Shams Batavia actually tells us that none of the previously quarantined players would be positive. Other news at happy hour, it is in fact due to injuries that Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will be left to rest against Denver.
Sources: The 76ers players quarantined in New York tested negative for coronavirus 13 hours prior to tip off and no other cases are suspected within the organization. Embiid and Simmons will sit due to injury. This is the fluid landscape of playing through a pandemic. https://t.co/HR6B23ehxw
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2021
19h19: meanwhile Adrian Wojnarowski has regained his language and explains to us that Ben Simmons’ absence is due to swelling in the knee and that of Joel Embiid would be related to a tension in the back. To others. Suddenly, Mike Scott is returned to the scoresheet, because otherwise the Sixers are only seven, and if not the Sixers could not play, US Oyonnax coughed.
The Sixers are expected to have nine eligible players today, including three cleared from protocol: Joel Embiid, Danny Green and Paul Reed, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/4TBl3xJXaq
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2021
7:21 PM Joel Embiid tweets that it was actually out of the question for him to play a game in which Dwight Howard plays for more than twenty minutes. Then he erases his tweet.
7:22 p.m.: Doc Rivers announces that indeed Mike Scott will be in uniform but should not play. The official reason? A wound. The unofficial reason? The fact that it sucks, quite simply.
9 p.m .: start of the match between seven Sixers and twelve Nuggets.
11:30 p.m .: Tyrese Maxey has just scored 39 points and Isaiah Joe has played 45 minutes.
11:45 p.m .: Dwight Howard says he still hasn’t understood the rules of the Fourth Power.
So much for the story of a crazy late afternoon with good (no) news for fans of twists and turns: tonight we are doing the same with the Celtics, so you can already think about your evening TTFL pick: Payton Pritchard or Daniel Theis.
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