The 76ers’ Sunday night game against the New Orleans Pelicans has been postponed after backup point guard Shake Milton and backup center Andre Drummond entered health and safety protocols earlier in the day, the NBA announced.
This development, combined with a growing injury list, put the Sixers at risk of not being able to suit up the mandatory eight players required to move forward with Sunday’s game.
Per the NBA’s most recent injury report, All-Star center Joel Embiid (ankle soreness), starting point guard Tyrese Maxey (quad contusion) and starting wing Danny Green (hip soreness) were all questionable to play against the Pelicans, while reserve Georges Niang was still in health and safety protocols and reserve guard Furkan Korkmaz remained out with a non-COVID illness. Additionally, reserve forward Paul Reed and two-way forward Aaron Henry were in Las Vegas for the G League Showcase, making it challenging to rejoin the Sixers quickly, while rookie guard Jaden Springer was in concussion protocol.
The Sixers held their normal pregame shootaround Sunday morning. Milton also spoke to reporters after participating in practice on Saturday afternoon.
Philly is also scheduled to play Monday night in Boston, before getting two days off ahead of a Dec. 23 home contest against Atlanta.
The Sixers-Pelicans game was one of five postponed by the NBA Sunday afternoon, with several teams dealing with numerous players, coaches and staff in protocols as cases surge across the country. Also pushed back were Sunday’s Cleveland-Atlanta and Brooklyn-Denver games, along with Monday’s Orlando-Toronto contest and Tuesday’s matchup between Washington and Brooklyn. Earlier this week, two Chicago Bulls games were postponed for the same reason.
Milton and Drummond are the sixth and seventh Philly players to go into protocols at some point this season. Standout forward Tobias Harris tested positive on Nov. 1, before reserve guard Isaiah Joe and reserve wing Matisse Thybulle joined him in protocols shortly after that. Then, Embiid tested positive on Nov. 8. Embiid and Harris both described having harsh symptoms, which Harris believes have lingered weeks later.
Per the Sixers, tickets for Sunday’s game will be honored when it is rescheduled.
Milton and Drummond entering protocols comes less than three days after the Sixers played the Brooklyn Nets, who have been dealing with a significant outbreak. Star Kevin Durant, who totaled 34 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in 39 minutes against the Sixers Thursday night, then went into protocols Saturday.
Vaccinated players can return to their teams after two consecutive negative PCR tests or 10 days of isolation.
Milton is averaging 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 25.4 minutes per game (six starts) for the Sixers. Drummond is averaging six points and 9.3 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game (11 starts).
