Sixers coach Doc Rivers says there is plenty of room for Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to both be great

When Doc Rivers took over as the 76ers coach this year, he made it known that the offense would run through center Joel Embiid, but that didn’t mean that it would lessen the contribution of fellow All-Star Ben Simmons, the point guard.

Rivers was asked before Tuesday’s game at the Wells Fargo Center against the New York Knicks if it was difficult for Simmons to be the so-called “second guy” to Embiid.

“No, I think he’s excelling because they both know there is room for both of them to be great,” Rivers said.

The Sixers coach then mentioned 11-time NBA champion and Hall of Fame center Bill Russell as an example.

“Bill Russell played with four other guys that were in the top 50, right?” Rivers said, referring to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team as selected in 1996. “Somehow they were all able to make it work, and Bill always told us when I was in Boston, ‘If you can’t make room for everybody else to be great, then you can’t be great.’

“And I think that’s what is going on here. They’ve realized that they both can be great together.”

This season Embiid earned his fourth straight All-Star berth and Simmons was named for a third consecutive season. Embiid is averaging 29.9 points and 11.5 rebounds.

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Embiid is sidelined with a bone bruise in his left knee that occurred during Friday’s 127-101 road win over the Washington Wizards. On Saturday, the Sixers said there was no structural damage and that Embiid would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

With Embiid out, it will be interesting to see if Simmons assumes more control.

An example of that happening occurred in the Sixers’ 134-123 loss at Utah on Feb. 15. Embiid missed the game with back tightness and Simmons scored a career-high 42 points.

In the Sixers’ first game after Embiid’s recent injury, they routed San Antonio, 134-99. No one player had to be dominant. Simmons finished with 14 points and nine assists, shooting 6-for-9 from the field in 26 minutes, 2 seconds.

Simmons entered Tuesday averaging 16.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists, while also remaining a candidate for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The 76ers didn’t face the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half of the season, but the teams will meet three times in the second half.

The first of those meetings is Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

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While many have mentioned the Sixers and Brooklyn Nets as the main contenders in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks are playing their best basketball of the season.

Milwaukee (25-14) has won four in a row and nine of 10.

Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has a streak of three consecutive triple-doubles. That is not only a personal best but had never been done in franchise history.

While the Sixers will be playing the second of a back-to-back, Milwaukee was off on Tuesday after Monday’s 133-122 win at Washington.