Sixers Discuss Unusually Long Layoff, Scrimmage Scares In Practice

CAMDEN, N.J.–The last time the Philadelphia 76ers took the court was on April 22 when they finished off the Brooklyn Nets in Round 1 of the playoffs. While they sit around and wait until the semifinals begin on May 1, they have to get some type of action in.

The Sixers have been in the gym convening for practice as they await their next challenge on this playoff journey. While the rest can be good for this group considering the injury to Joel Embiid, this has been a very long layoff, and coach Doc Rivers has his concerns.

“I don’t even know if I had a training camp this long,” laughed Rivers. “I mean, this is a long time. It really is and, listen, from a coaching standpoint, there’s clearly a concern. Obviously, this is a long time, and, like today (Thursday), we got two guys running into each other in our scrimmage. You got to play, because we’re basketball players, but you’re scared the entire scrimmage.”

Scrimmages can be good for any team to get some work in and be able to get out and run, but there can be scares as Rivers mentioned. A guy can be hurt in a scrimmage at practice that can hold him out for games.

“We went three different scrimmages and you’re sitting there holding your breath the entire scrimmage,” Rivers continued. “Just get through it. Let’s get out of here. That’s how you’re thinking, but that’s not a real game and that’s not how you’re gonna think in the game. So it’s a tough little thing.”

It’s very rare for teams to actually go hard and scrimmage during a practice in the playoffs. Teams don’t want to push their guys in practice and they want everybody to be fresh for the playoffs, but this is a different instance that the Sixers are going through.

“That’s rare and that’s really—unless you have time,” Rivers said of playoff scrimmages. “I’ve done it. I’ve had times where we won early, and we had four days or five days and we would scrimmage one day, but this is back-to-back days. We’re gonna have a day off here. It’s unbelievable, but it is a good thing somewhere. At some point, it’s gonna turn into a good thing.”

On the flip side, this long layoff is an overall good thing for the Sixers. They need their guys to be well-rested for the next challenge in the postseason.

“I think it’s good,” said Tobias Harris. “You get guys rested. We were able to sweep the first round, we handled our business. So every day, we come in the gym, we still got a handle out business in the best fashion that we know.”