World Cup final overtakes Sixers practice

Doc Rivers acknowledged it was difficult for the 76ers to focus during Sunday afternoon’s practice, which was scheduled during the middle of the World Cup final between Argentina and France.

“When we were running the pick-and-roll and our five is sitting over there …” the coach said, referring to All-NBA center Joel Embiid.

Reserve forward Georges Niang also quipped that “every single TV in this place” — including along baselines of the practice court — was tuned to the match “mainly because of” Embiid, an enthusiastic soccer fan who grew up in Cameroon. Yet several players and staff were crowded around one of those screens for the final minutes of regulation, after France’s furious comeback to tie the score at 2.

» READ MORE: Inside Sixers: Technology assists, wisdom from Doc Rivers, Tyrese Maxey’s new ritual

“It tells me [the sport is] becoming a real thing here,” said Rivers, who added that he watched several afternoon matches throughout the tournament after following the Union’s MLS playoff run.

Players and staff dissipated for extra time and the penalty-kick shootout, although boisterous reactions erupted through the facility at big moments.

When Lionel Messi scored the go-ahead goal, Embiid opened a door separating the training room from the gym to scream at no one in particular. And when Argentina clinched its victory on penalty kicks about 30 minutes later, Embiid unleashed a “Let’s go!”

After Tobias Harris was a late scratch for Friday’s win over the Golden State Warriors with back pain, Rivers said the forward participated in Sunday’s practice. Harris, who is averaging 17 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, is not listed on the Sixers’ official injury report for Monday’s home game against the Toronto Raptors.

Reserve swingman Furkan Korkmaz, who also missed Friday’s game with a non-COVID-19 illness, is listed as questionable to play Monday.

Tyrese Maxey’s status, meanwhile, appeared unchanged. Rivers said late last week that Maxey’s fractured foot likely needed a couple of more weeks to heal. He sustained the injury during a Nov. 18 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

» READ MORE: Warriors’ Andre Iguodala reflects on his time as a Sixer: The fans ‘hold you accountable’

“I didn’t see him doing anything different [Sunday],” Rivers said, “so my guess is probably at the same place.”

Danuel House Jr., who returned Friday from a three-game absence due to a cut in his foot, also revealed a bit more on how the injury occurred.

“Um … not wearing socks, and something was kind of on the ground,” House said Sunday. “... All we wanted to do was just make sure that nothing gets worse than what it was. It was something minor. We took care of it and we treated it.”

House totaled six points on 2-of-4 shooting and added two rebounds in 16 minutes against the Warriors and said he did not feel any pain or discomfort in the foot.

A residual effect of Maxey’s monthlong absence — and the depleted guard depth in recent weeks, in general — has been the Sixers’ limited ability to play what Rivers calls their small-ball lineup with P.J. Tucker at center.

The coach said, in those personnel groupings, he wants Tucker surrounded by “three dynamic guards.” That was possible before Maxey’s injury, when Tucker shifted to starting at center while Embiid was out with an illness.

“When Tyrese is out, that’s hard to do,” Rivers said. “… We worked on it today [in practice]. It’s work that we need. We just haven’t had the ability to do it [in a game].”