Report: 76ers' Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons Won't Play vs. Nuggets with Injuries

Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons reportedly won't play Saturday against the Denver Nuggets because of injury, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

After a Sixers player tested positive for COVID-19 this week, multiple players were put through the NBA's COVID-19 protocols.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Embiid, Danny Green and Paul Reed cleared protocol, while Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton and Vincent Poirier remain in protocol.

Wojnarowski noted that the game between Philadelphia and Denver would be played Saturday since the Sixers were expected to have nine players available. The minimum amount of players a team can have is eight.

With Simmons, who was never in protocol, and Embiid reportedly set to miss the game, the Sixers would have been down to seven players, but Mike Scott was upgraded to available to get it back to eight, per Wojnarowski.

Rivers told reporters Scott, who has been nursing an injury, will not play. He was merely activated to meet the eight-player minimum. 

Wojnarowski also reported that the Sixers plan to list Embiid as out with back tightness and Simmons with left knee swelling.

"I don't think we should (play)," Rivers said. "But it's not for me to express that. I do worry about our player health."

So far this season, Embiid is averaging 24.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. Simmons is averaging 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks.

The Sixers are off to an NBA-best 7-2 start this season, but they figure to have a tough go against Denver without their top two players Saturday.