By Jerry Wein
The Bucks started 10-for-10 from the floor and finished 20-for-40 from downtown with more open looks than they would have gotten if Ben Simmons hadn’t missed his third straight Sixers game with an illness.
“There are games where, with certain guys, when they miss, it shows,” said coach Doc Rivers. “This is clearly one of those nights where you can pick the one night you need Ben and it would always be against Milwaukee, because it gives us the same versatility that it gives them.”
The Sixers may have Simmons back for the second game with the Bucks on tomorrow.
“I don’t know,” said Rivers. “So we’ll see. Right now, I would say 50/50, at best, and I’m an optimist, but I don’t know.”
Simmons is currently dealing with an illness that is not related to COVID, but it is obviously bothering him more than initially thought.
“Clearly, it’s more serious than that,” Rivers finished. “It’s not serious where he’s gonna miss a lot of games, but it’s more serious than we hope for because he’s still missing games. We just need him to get well.”
