Joel Embiid and James Harden will sit out of the Sixers’ Monday game against the Miami Heat

The 76ers best two players — Joel Embiid and James Harden — will get the night off.

Embiid will miss Monday night’s much-anticipated game against the Miami Heat with back tightness. Meanwhile, Harden will have the night off for left-hamstring injury recovery.

“Joel had been nursing the back, and James, we’re very conscious of what’s going on with his hamstring,” coach Doc Rivers said “So we are just being very careful.”

This comes after Embiid had been listed as questionable with the ailment before the last three games. However, he was cleared prior to the start of Wednesday’s 118-114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Friday’s 111-101 victory over the Dallas Mavericks and Sunday’s 93-88 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

This move comes as no surprise as Embiid is badly in need of rest. He was noticeably exhausted in Sunday’s setback to the Raptors. That’s when the big man struggled through 6-for-20 shooting while finishing with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

The Sixers released their initial injury report at 1:30 p.m. At that time, Embiid was listed as questionable. However, he was downgraded to out on the 2:30 injury report. Then the team announced at 4:45 that Harden wouldn’t play.

Harden missed his first four games after being acquired from the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10 while rehabilitating a left hamstring strain. He also missed the Sixers’ 99-82 loss to the Heat in Miami on March 5.

“No setbacks,” Rivers said of Harden missing Monday’s game. “Just precaution.”

» READ MORE: A banged-up Joel Embiid wants to play every game, but he also wants to be healthy for the playoffs

Rivers would not disclose Embiid’s status for Monday night prior to Sunday’s loss to the Raptors. Embiid did not speak to the media following the game because he was being evaluated by the team dentist after he was struck in the mouth late in the game.

Meanwhile, Harden had said following the game that he intended to play against the Heat.

The status of Harden and Embiid in games down the stretch has been a hot topic during a particularly busy late-season stretch. Monday’s game will mark the Sixers’ sixth game in nine days.

The Heat were almost without their best player. All-Star forward Jimmy Butler was listed as questionable with a sprained right ankle, but played.

Butler, a former Sixer, this was the third time he played in Philadelphia since being traded to the Heat on July 6, 2019.

He had 11 points and five rebounds on Nov. 23, 2019. Then he followed that up with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on Dec. 18, 2019. Butler missed last season’s two-game series in Philadelphia and this season’s Dec. 15 tilt.

But Butler has had success against the Sixers, averaging 23.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in his last 10 games against them.

» READ MORE: As Sixers complete busy stretch, much-needed rest could be coming for Joel Embiid and James Harden

He’s not the only Heat player on the injury report. Gabe Vincent (big toe contusion) and Victor Oladipo (right lower back spasms) will miss the game while Caleb Martin (left knee hyperextension) is questionable.

This game still features two of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. The Heat are atop the standings with a 47-24 record. The Sixers are 3½ games back in third place at 43-27 with 12 games remaining.

When will Ben Simmons make his Brooklyn Nets debut?

The former Sixers point guard had an epidural injection last week to relieve soreness in his back. The Athletic is reporting that Simmons has a herniated disc that has pushed back his debut.

Back issues are not new to him. He missed time with a pinched nerve in his lower back during the 2019-20 season. Simmons has actually been dealing with with lower-back tightness since the 2018-19 season.

Simmons left the Sixers’ Oct. 20, 2018 game against the Orlando Magic with back tightness in the first quarter. Simmons did not return to the game and missed the following game. And in the 2019-20 preseason, he missed the final two games because of further back issues.

Unwilling to play for the Sixers, Simmons forced a trade to the Nets on Feb. 10. They sent him, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks to Brooklyn in exchange for Harden and Paul Millsap.