According to sources close to Simmons, he’s upset that Embiid seemed to blame him for last season’s playoff loss, when Simmons did not blame Embiid for Embiid’s poor showing in the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors in 2019. He’s frustrated that Rivers didn’t come to see him while he was training in Los Angeles last summer. Simmons doesn’t dispute that he didn’t reply when Rivers texted and called him several times over the summer asking to see him. But in hindsight, Simmons feels Rivers and the Sixers could’ve done more, like show up at a well-known gym in the San Fernando Valley where he was training.
Source: Ramona Shelburne @ ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
For no reason at all, it’s worth noting that Joel Embiid couldn’t be taken off the floor for two minutes against the Raptors (an elite opponent) in 2019.
Embiid still figured out that his offensive game wasn’t good enough. So he worked on it and now you’re seeing the results. – 11:23 AM
Jon Johnson @jonjohnsonwip
Would like to thank Ben Simmons. If not for his thin skin, being incredibly selfish, the Sixers would not know what they have in Tyrese Maxey. – 10:25 AM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
It took a lot for the Sixers to get one of their most exciting wins in recent memory — a huge Maxey game, dominant Drummond on the glass, and pointed leadership from Embiid before the game —and they keep on rolling during a funky season
phillyvoice.com/how-sixers-bea… – 9:35 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
“We wanted this one,” said Tobias Harris.
#Sixers earn a thrilling 122-119 overtime victory over Ja Morant-led #Grizzlies, even without Joel Embiid inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 9:24 AM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
No Joel Embiid last night, so the Sixers spread the floor and attacked like crazy: 47 percent of their shots came at the rim. That’s the most for them in a game this season.
And on the game-winning bucket, the floor was spread and Tyrese Maxey attacked: https://t.co/LfXz1fsovD pic.twitter.com/uihXkGYy4f – 9:15 AM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies drop an OT game to the Embiid-less Sixers. Through a superstar performance, hot shooting from a top-10 shooter, and cold shooting and inconsistency…@PAKA_FLOCKA with the Report Card https://t.co/lHBKgrgrVi pic.twitter.com/s6qnDO6aVW – 8:40 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
“Don’t count us out…We’ve got a lot of hungry guys that worked on their games and are ready to show improvement,”Tobias Harris said.
#Sixers earn a thrilling 122-119 overtime win over Ja Morant-led Grizzlies, even w/o Joel Embiid inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 7:29 AM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: The #Sixers’ impressive win over the #Grizzlies without franchise cornerstone Joel Embiid is telling: https://t.co/4RcXbdH2Td #76ers pic.twitter.com/iwEJ5mAggi – 6:45 AM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Sixers earn a thrilling 122-119 overtime victory over Ja Morant-led Grizzlies, even without Joel Embiid inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 12:44 AM
Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
With Trae Young (and Joel Embiid) sitting out tonight, Jayson Tatum regained the NBA scoring lead… pic.twitter.com/gVc43XrJYW – 11:31 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: Win over the #Grizzlies without star Joel Embiid says a lot about the #Sixers: https://t.co/gFNsyf4B8l #76ers pic.twitter.com/RaxQ4TZtQt – 11:16 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
With Embiid out, Maxey scores 33 to lead 76ers past Grizzlies in OT nba.nbcsports.com/2022/01/31/wit… – 10:54 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers earn a thrilling 122-119 overtime victory over Ja Morant-led #Grizzlies, even without Joel Embiid inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 10:24 PM
Justin Grasso @JGrasso_
Tobias Harris says tonight’s win against the #Grizzlies without Joel Embiid says “Don’t count us out” #Sixers – 10:09 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers forward Tobias Harris on the OT win over #Grizzlies without Joel Embiid: pic.twitter.com/giDt20Zsu4 – 10:07 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Tobias Harris confirms that Andre Drummond told him they need 30 from him with Joel Embiid out tonight. He was able to come through with 31. #Sixers – 10:06 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers Andre Drummond told Tobias Harris at shootaround that he needed Harris to score 30 points tonight without Joel Embiid. He had 31. – 10:03 PM
Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Tyrese Maxey says Joel Embiid was psyched to embrace the @Philadelphia 76ers in the locker room postgame.
“Joel was excited. He’s a great teammate. I feel like this year he’s been a really, really good leader. He’s helped everybody…
He’s our MVP.” – 10:02 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Tyrese Maxey tonight:
33 PTS
8 REB
4 BLK
13-23 FG
The Sixers beat the red hot Grizzlies without Embiid. pic.twitter.com/bbTAzBRdho – 9:45 PM
Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee
76ers really have something special in Tyrese Maxey. Joel Embiid has been putting up MVP numbers but they wouldn’t be winning games with an All-Star sitting at home chillin’ all season unless Maxey makes that sophomore leap. – 9:43 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Sixers just have a vibe to them this season. Embiid an MVP frontrunner. Maxey has been brilliant. Seth Curry is having a career year. It’s got to be killing Daryl Morey not to flip Simmons for whatever can push this group over. – 9:42 PM
Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
For every bad Sixers loss this year, there has been a good win. Without Joel Embiid, against that team, that was up there.
64 combined points for Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. The Sixers are 31-19, one game behind the No. 1 seed. – 9:39 PM
Joel Embiid @JoelEmbiid
THEY HATE THE PROCESS but We will keep thriving….. Great Dub!! HELL YEAA – 9:38 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Huge win for Embiid-less Philly. How about Andre Drummond: Steps into the starting lineup and goes for 16 points, 23 rebounds, five assists, three blocks in 43 minutes. Monster game. – 9:38 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
FINAL: Sixers 122, Grizzlies 119 in OT and this crowd is AMPED. The most entertaining game of the season — and Joel Embiid did not play. Maxey with 33 points and 8 assists. Harris with 31-5-5. Drummodn with 16 points, 23 rebounds and 5 assists. – 9:37 PM
J. Kyle Mann @jkylemann
everything about this embiid sequence is hilarious pic.twitter.com/zqciAHo97h – 9:25 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Without Embiid, who takes the potential game-winner for Philly after this free throw? – 9:20 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Drummond has 16 points, 19 rebounds and 5 assists in place of Embiid tonight, but that fumbled pass on what would have been a wide-open finish at the rim is costly. Sixers now have 20 turnovers for 29 points and trail 109-108 with 46.2 seconds to play. – 9:12 PM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Man, the Sixers have just responded to every run the Grizzlies have thrown at them. Really impressive stuff by them with Embiid out – 8:53 PM
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Every time I think to myself “Hey, Andre Drummond’s having a pretty good game filling in for Joel Embiid” he winds up getting switched on to Ja and ooh boy is that unfair. – 8:31 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Halftime: Sixers 63, Grizzlies 58. An entertaining half even without Embiid. Both teams shooting right around 50 percent from the floor, though Philly is 8-of-19 from 3 and Memphis is 2-of-10. Harris with a steady 18 points and 4 assists. Maxey with 16. Drummond with 6-12-5 (!). – 8:07 PM
Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
Jaxson Hayes and Jose Alvarado, who got into it with Joel Embiid recently, are chirping with the #Cavs bench following Hayes’ transition thunder dunk. – 7:55 PM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Grizzlies down 15 as the Sixers are getting whatever they want offensively. Sixers proving their hot streak is more than just Embiid going crazy – 7:45 PM
Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Filling in for Joel Embiid in the starting lineup, @Andre Drummond held it down in Q1.
6 PTS / 6 REB (2 OREB) / 4 AST / 3-4 fg
in 10 minutes. 👀 – 7:39 PM
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
One of stronger non-Embiid quarters of the season, as Maxey (11 on 5-7), Harris (7 on 2-3), Drummond (6/6/4) and Thybulle (held Ja to 3-7 shooting) really started off strong. Sixers up 39-30 at the end of 1. – 7:38 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Andre Drummond (6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) with quite a first quarter. The Joel Embiid-less #Sixers lead #Grizzlies 32-23 with 1:46 left in the opening period. – 7:31 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Excellent start for Philly. Tobias Harris has 7 points stepping up without Joel Embiid to lean on for offense and Matisse Thybulle had a big block on Ja Morant while also knocking down a triple. A Tyrese Maxey layup gives the team a 16-10 lead and a Memphis timeout. #Sixers – 7:17 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Drummond, starting in place of Embiid, with a couple finishes inside early. – 7:14 PM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
It obviously benefits Memphis that Embiid is out, but man Embiid vs. JJJ would have made for one hell of a matchup with the way both have been playing of late – 7:08 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
With Joel Embiid sitting out tonight’s game, he ends January with the following per-48-minute rates:
✅ 50.8 PTS
✅ 16.1 REB
✅ 7.6 AST
Embiid is the first player in NBA history to average at least 50p/15r/5a per 48 minutes in a calendar month (min. 10 GP). pic.twitter.com/kViR2d4V9i – 7:01 PM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
The Grizzlies dominated the 76ers in their last matchup, once again with the Sixers Embiid-less, as Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks led the way with Ja out. Tyrese Maxey shined in the previous matchup (23 points, 7 assists) for the Sixers. – 6:42 PM
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
What’s up Grizz Nation, @bcabraham checking in for tonight’s Grizzlies/76ers matchup. Tyus Jones is back, Joel Embiid is out! Grizz look to extend their win streak to 4 tonight in Philly. – 6:33 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Andre Drummond starts in place of Joel Embiid. Everybody else is the same. #Sixers – 6:33 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers on what determined that tonight’s game vs. #Memphis would be a planned rest day for Joel Embiid: “I really don’t get that much involved in it, to be honest with you. They come and present their calendar…. – 6:04 PM
Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Doc Rivers on resting Joel Embiid today:
“They thought this was the right day with the amount of rest we can get him, so that’s why they did.” – 5:20 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers: ‘(Sports science people) pointed to this game’ for Joel Embiid to rest tonight. Furkan Korkmaz is out. – 5:20 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers’ Joel Embiid named Eastern Conference player of the week inquirer.com/sixers/philade… via @phillyinquirer – 4:51 PM
Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
All quiet at the WFC three hours before the Joel Embiid-less #Sixers host the #Grizzlies pic.twitter.com/9NSuFxyNPB – 4:11 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
Joel Embiid is the East Player of the Week. Jayson Tatum was nominated. – 4:05 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Joel Embiid and Chris Paul are the NBA Eastern and Western Conference players of the week. pic.twitter.com/9jcvaWr2GH – 3:59 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Jimmy Butler a nominee for NBA East Player of the Week that went to Joel Embiid. – 3:42 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
NBA Players of the Week #15 | Chris Paul and Joel Embiid
sportando.basketball/en/nba-players… – 3:41 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Embiid winning player of the week after having a down week compared to the week before is pretty funny – 3:39 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Joel Embiid is the Eastern Conference player of the week. #Sixers – 3:34 PM
Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Joel Embiid has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/1hBNyjoUFJ – 3:33 PM
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Joel Embiid has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. – 3:32 PM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
NBA Players of the Week for Week 15: Suns’ Chris Paul and 76ers’ Joel Embiid. – 3:31 PM
Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid have been named Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week. – 3:31 PM
JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Suns guard Chris Paul and Sixers center Joel Embiid have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, league says. – 3:30 PM
Cody Taylor @CodyTaylorNBA
Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 15 of the 2021-22 season (Jan. 24 – 30). pic.twitter.com/lcwCcZveeM – 3:30 PM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Phoenix’s Chris Paul were just named East and West Player of the Week by the NBA.
More NBA from: marcstein.substack.com – 3:30 PM
Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Joel Embiid finished January with 476 points in 450 minutes, good for 1.058 points per minute.
Over the last 25 seasons, the only players with a higher points per minute in a calendar month are (min. 300 minutes):
Stephen Curry (Feb. 2016)
James Harden (Jan. & Nov. 2019) – 3:16 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Along with Charles Bassey, Philly will call up Paul Reed for tonight’s game with Joel Embiid on a planned rest day #Sixers – 2:22 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Could Joel Embiid win MVP this season but still land on 2nd team All-NBA? – 2:11 PM
Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Would holding on to Ben Simmons actually help the Sixers land James Harden?
Some stray, rambling thoughts in this morning’s newsletter on the latest developments in this strange saga.
dailysix.com/morning-sixers… – 1:07 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers MVP candidate Joel Embiid to miss much-anticipated #Grizzlies tilt for planned rest day inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 12:45 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
selfishly wish Embiid would have played tonight, but a rest night for him felt inevitable at some point soon phillyvoice.com/sixers-joel-em… – 12:24 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Nikola Jokic now has 102 games with 10+ assists, which is most ever by a center. Wilt is No. 2; he’s at 80.
Jokic is averaging 9.9 assists over his last 14 games. List of players 6-10 and taller to ever average that many assists over that long a span: Jokic, Ben Simmons, Wilt. – 12:14 PM
Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Sixers say Joel Embiid will be out tonight vs. Memphis for “planned rest.” He had played in 21 consecutive games before tonight. – 12:04 PM
Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Your quick newser on Joel Embiid being out tonight against the Grizzlies due to a planned rest day #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/01/31/six… via @SixersWire – 11:41 AM
Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Sixers say Joel Embiid will not play tonight (planned rest) against Memphis.
More NBA from me: marcstein.substack.com – 11:36 AM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Joel Embiid is out tonight for the 76ers. – 11:31 AM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
No Embiid (rest) tonight vs. Memphis is a real bummer. Grizzlies have been a really good and exciting team this year, would have liked to see him and Morant doing their thing, but giving the big guy a night off feels overdue – 11:30 AM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“When it didn’t work out at the end of the summer, I think you have to move on”
@Hoophall and former #76ers Head Coach Larry Brown tells @talkhoops and @Amin Elhassan how he would have handled the Ben Simmons situation if he was the head coach pic.twitter.com/D8kAAvhdYu – 4:25 PM
Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
Tyrese Haliburton is going to be an All Star someday
The Kings are wise to keep him out of any Ben Simmons trade discussions – 9:49 PM
More on this storyline
He’s also skeptical, sources close to him say, of Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s willingness to trade him because of his previous pursuit of Harden — who can become a free agent this summer. Simmons would be the best player the Sixers would send in any theoretical trade. And he’s upset that the organization is fining him so heavily after he raised mental health as an issue upon his return. Rich Paul, Simmons’ agent, had spent weeks in the fall trying to convince the three-time All-Star to fly back to Philadelphia as a show of good faith. Simmons did not want to go under any circumstances. -via ESPN / February 1, 2022
But according to sources with knowledge of the conversation, Paul told Simmons that while he understood Simmons wasn’t mentally ready to get on the court, because of the four years remaining on his contract, they simply had no leverage if he didn’t at least return to the team. Simmons said he understood. And when his older brother, Sean Tribe, agreed with Paul, the decision was made to fly back to Philadelphia. To Simmons, this was a grand gesture of good faith. To the Sixers, it was a surprise (no one let them know in advance Simmons was coming), and the least a player under contract could do. -via ESPN / February 1, 2022
“We don’t give a f— about the money,” one source close to Simmons says. “That’s not what this is. It’s hard for people to understand. But if you believe in what you’re doing and that this is not the right situation for you, and you’re trying to get to a better place, the money doesn’t matter. Obviously it’s a financial hit. But you adjust.” Said another source close to Simmons, “It’s easy to tell when someone is hurt when they have a cast on their arm. But this is mental health. You can’t always see it. But ask yourself, how many people would lose a dollar over this? That should tell you everything.” -via ESPN / February 1, 2022