Could This Break Benefit the Sixers?
The world has begun Week 2 without the NBA because of the league suspending its year due to the massive outbreak of the novel Coronavirus in the United States.
It seems every day that someone new in the sports world has tested positive for it.
Could this break actually benefit the Sixers?
Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson, have both missed the last week or two due to injury. Ben Simmons hasn’t really played since the All-Star break and the team gave him the dreaded “will be re-evaluated in three weeks” designation. Embiid and Richardson played in the last game but, still, it’s time to get healthy.
No one can know for sure what the NBA will do once it returns from its minimum 30-day hiatus. Will they still play the rest of the regular season games? Will they pick right up in the playoffs?
Regardless, the Sixers players need to use this time to get healthy.
It was reported on Thursday (3/19) that three 76ers organizational members tested positive for COVID-19. Obviously, this is a very serious situation and should be treated so. Assuming everyone gets healthy, though, this break is the time to work out the kinks and try to figure out what has been haunting them this whole season.
It’s been speculated that Al Horford has been playing hurt, which would explain a whole lot. Horford has actually come around in the past three games the team played, scoring more than 18 points in each. In the last game before the league suspended its season, Horford scored 20 points with Joel Embiid on the floor, something he hasn’t done all season.
We still don’t have an update on what is actually going on with superstar, Ben Simmons. We know that he has a nerve impingement in his back, which has required a resting period that’s lasted since his last game right after the All-Star break. What we don’t know is if it is healing.
This hiatus could serve for the players and coaches to take a real step away from basketball and refocus.
Maybe Brett Brown can find another fix for the team like he did in a cabin in Maine during the All-Star Break.
Featured Image: ---
Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.