Here's how Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons being sidelined due to contact tracing affects Sixers

The news that 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would miss Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game due to the league's health-and-safety protocols was a bit disappointing for Philly fans.

Embiid and Simmons reportedly visited with their Philadelphia barber, who tested positive for COVID-19, before traveling to Atlanta via private planes.

“The fact that they can’t be in there is a bummer for them, but more importantly obviously is their health,” said Sixers coach Doc Rivers via Zoom on Sunday. “I would feel more for them (if) they have COVID.”

The bigger basketball concern is how this impacts the Sixers as they prepare to begin the second half of the 2020-21 NBA season.

Rivers' 24-12 Sixers are hoping to hold onto the top seed in the Eastern Conference, though the offensively loaded Brooklyn Nets are just one-half game behind at 24-13.

After quarantining for seven days, Embiid will miss at least Thursday night’s road game against the Bulls while Simmons can't play vs. the Bulls or Friday against the Wizards in Washington. Assuming they continue to test negative, Embiid could return to basketball activities as soon as Friday and Simmons on Saturday. The Sixers return home with limited fan attendance on Sunday night vs. the San Antonio Spurs.

“The last thing we need is an outbreak to start this second half,” Rivers said. “It looks like we may be having one as a team, so I’m already concerned.”

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Rivers and his staff were still permitted to coach Team LeBron (James) because they had no contact with Embiid and Simmons in Atlanta.

Expect Rivers to make Seth Curry the point guard while inserting wing Furkan Korkmaz in Simmons’ starting spot and replace Embiid with Dwight Howard if the stars must miss any regular-season time.

Sixers forward Tobias Harris sat out three games due to contact tracing after teammate Curry tested positive early in the Sixers’ Jan. 7 road loss to the Nets.

Curry missed seven games and more than two weeks after his positive test in Brooklyn and hasn’t been as effective since coming back. Curry, who talked about how tired he still occasionally was two weeks after his return, has hit .373 of his 3-pointers in 20 outings since his seven-game absence. He knocked down a league-best .595 3-pointers in the first eight outings prior to getting COVID.

Zoom sessions with Embiid and Simmons scheduled for Sunday afternoon were canceled in the wake of the announcement they wouldn't be participating in the all-star game. The Pelicans' Zion Williamson replaced Embiid as a starter for Team (Kevin) Durant, while Simmons had been a reserve on Team LeBron.

Embiid is a leading candidate for the league’s MVP, averaging 30.2 points per game (second in the NBA) and 11.6 rebounds (tied for sixth). He has five games with 40-plus points and 10-plus rebounds this season, which is one more than the rest of the league combined.

Embiid is also the most irreplaceable Sixer at both ends of the court.

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Philadelphia is 23-7 when Embiid plays and 1-5 when he doesn’t.

The 7-foot, 295-pound Embiid has tended to experience a rapid drop-off in conditioning and put on weight quickly when sidelined in the past. Even if he only is out for one game, it’s unclear how long it would take Embiid to get back into playing shape.

While Simmons always seems to be able to play 40 minutes, his versatility is what the Sixers would miss the most.

Simmons initiates the offense, finds open teammates and has been more aggressive at looking for his own shots. But his most significant impact is on “D,” which is why Rivers is pushing him for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

“I knew Ben was a good defensive player, (but) I didn't know he’d be what he's been,” Rivers said Sunday. “I really believe he’s the most dominant defensive player in the league and he guards all positions. And when he guards you, you know it.”

The 6-foot-10 Simmons handles the opponents’ top guard or forward and has held all-stars Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell far below their averages in recent Sixers victories. Simmons has also done well against centers when called upon.

Perhaps this will only be a brief setback for the Sixers. But there's little doubt they need Embiid and Simmons playing at a high level as often as possible if they plan on maintaining home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs. 

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly