Ben Simmons out against Rockets due to illness | Notes

Ben Simmons will miss Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets due to illness.

Simmons has the stomach flu and the Sixers don’t believe the illness is related to COVID-19, according to head coach Doc Rivers.

This is the fourth game that Simmons will miss this season. The Sixers are 0-3 in the previous three games without Simmons.

During Monday’s 134-123 loss at Utah, Simmons scored a career-high 42 points, while adding 12 assists and nine rebounds.

Joel Embiid, who missed the Utah game with back tightness, is available to play.

Shake Milton will miss his fourth straight game with a sprained left ankle. Milton suffered the injury in the Sixers’ 119-111 win at Sacramento on Feb. 9.

“I think he is getting close (to returning),” Rivers said. “He was on the floor today and did some shooting, so I am just going to assume he is getting closer, but I can’t tell you when.”

Milton has been a key sixth man, averaging 14 points per game. The Sixers’ reserves have struggled in his absence. In the final three games that Milton missed during last week’s road trip, the Sixers reserves were outscored, 151-64.