Doc Rivers has entered the league’s health and safety protocols. He becomes just the sixth head coach set to miss time. Dan Burke will step in for the time being as the interim head coach.

Tyler Johnson and Myles Powell have also entered protocols and will be unavailable for Thursday’s matchup against the Nets. The 76ers will now be without two more players as they square off against the first place team in the Eastern Conference.

A bit surprising not to see Sam Cassell get the nod as the interim coach. Cassell was a big name last offseason for head coaching openings around the league, and with Rivers having to miss time, it would make sense for Cassell to be the next man up.

Regardless, this is a great opportunity for Burke to showcase himself, and prove his value to the league if he has a goal of being a head coach. The Nets are the most difficult matchup for any team in the league, and Burke has a defensive-minded approach to the game, so lets see what he has in store for the Sixers tonight.

Tyler Johnson has actually looked decent with the team so far, and while he hasn’t contributed too much on the stat sheet, it seemed like his ball handling and willingness to shoot was a welcomed presence for the Sixers. Unfortunately, this will likely be the end for him in Philadelphia due to his contract running out and his upcoming absence from the roster.

Powell has been back-and-forth between the Delaware Blue Coats and Sixers since signing a two-way contract. While he hasn’t found much time on an NBA floor, he has been an intriguing prospect for Philadelphia in his short time with the organization.

It does look like the 76ers will get Danny Green back Thursday and Shake Milton has been upgraded to questionable. Georges Niang played his first game back from COVID on Tuesday in Toronto, and the Sixers are looking to be in a much better position health-wise for their upcoming stretch. Luckily, they have a soft workload over the next two weeks.

After tonight, the Sixers will have just three games over the next 14 days.

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports