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Diahuebs 14 OctOber 2021

Islanders to open season with 13 road games before UBS debut

perience of what we’ve done Life’s not always easy, and
in the past. We have a tight- you know going on the road The Islanders open the sea-
knit group, guys you can get is actually I think it’d be a son at Carolina on Thursday
together on days off, do some good thing for us we’ve been night, and after reaching the
fun things, hang out, build at home for quite a while (for semifinals the last two sea-
some chemistry, take it one training camp). And I think sons, they know there are
game, one day at a time and an early road trip is always lofty expectations for the
try to power through this and good and this will be good for team this year.
come up with a positive re- this group.”
cord on the other side.” “The goal stays the same,”
The Islanders have a strong forward Anthony Beauvillier
Playing a few more games at home record under Trotz — said. “We want to get to the
Nassau Coliseum wasn’t an combining to go 65-26-13 — Stanley Cup, we want to get
option, so the NHL drew up and they have also had some to the playoffs. Those are the
a schedule that puts 13 road success on the road at 50-41- times where you make mem-
games on the Islanders’ slate 11. The Islanders will also ories, those are the times you
(AP) — The New York completed. It is the second- over 33 days. There are trips play seven straight away from remember so we definitely
Islanders know what it longest road trip in NHL to Canada, to Arizona and home in April, with the two want to go back to where we
means to play away from history — Vancouver had 14 two to Florida as the Isles’ stretches combining for 20 of were last year. It’s exciting,
home for a long time. in a row during the 2009-10 crisscross the country. the season’s 41 road games. just the season for us and our
They spent nearly two season, but that included the That means New York will fans, new building. ... Every-
months in Canada for the NHL’s Olympic break — and Coach Barry Trotz said he be home for two of every one is looking forward to it
2020 playoff bubble — the longest to open a season. isn’t worried about how his three games for most of the and we can’t wait to get it go-
reaching the Eastern Con- players will handle the open- season. ing.”
ference finals — after the New York won’t play at home ing road swing, having fos-
pandemic disrupted the until Nov. 20, more than five tered a one-game-at-a-time “I think the league, whoever At least the Isles’ know they
season. weeks into the season. approach during his three does the schedule, probably will have a raucous welcome
seasons with the team. Fa- took that into account and next month when they re-
They now face the a record- “It’ll be a challenge for sure,” tigue will be watched closely. gave us a couple of breaks to turn home to the arena next
setting stretch without a center Brock Nelson said. “We have a lot of trust in our be nice,” Nelson said. “I’m to Belmont Park, just a half-
home game: The Island- “Probably the longest trip group and we understand the sure I’ll try to utilize those hour drive down the Jericho
ers will begin the season most of us have had outside situation,” Trotz said. “This days at home with family, Turnpike from Nassau Coli-
with 13 straight road games of the bubble, which was group has been really great rest and just try to recover a seum: Season tickets for Year
while construction of their unique in itself, so maybe at that. They’re not com- bit and get ready for the next One at UBS Arena are sold
sparkling new UBS Arena is we’ll lean on that personal ex- plainers, they understand it. game.” out.

Simmons drama drags on for 76ers without a resolution

(AP) — This much is health and safety protocols. on what we see this week,” season. we’ll acclimate him appropri-
known: Ben Simmons is Rivers said. “He’s coming ately. We just want everybody
back in Philadelphia. But That is, if Simmons returns from behind, because he The Sixers downplayed po- to come here, show up and
there’s no clear sign yet to play at all. hasn’t been in camp, obvi- tential issues in the locker do their part, do their jobs.”
the All-Star guard is set to ously. Having said that, do room, should Simmons re-
rescind his trade request That’s still a big if for the Six- you rush him and put him on turn. Starters Seth Curry Added Curry: “I’ll be able
and actually play for the ers, especially with one more the floor? That’s a whole oth- and Danny Green both said to see when he steps on the
76ers. preseason game Friday at De- er subject. What we see this Wednesday they had not talk- floor where his head’s at. I
troit before next week’s sea- week is how we determine ed to Simmons this week but don’t feel like he needs to ex-
Even coach Doc Rivers — son opener at New Orleans. everything going forward.” would welcome him back. plain anything to me.”
publicly, at least — says he’s Much like Marshawn Lynch
unsure of the status of the at a Super Bowl media day, Simmons missed training “We want him back. We want Talk to Sixers fans; they can’t
trade demand, the latest Simmons may be here only camp and the preseason so far him with us,” Green said. wait for answers.
wrinkle in the on-again-off- so he won’t get fined. The in the wake of his offseason “When he’s in the building,
again relationship between 25-year-old from Australia trade demand that rankled
Simmons and the Sixers. has four years and $147 mil- some teammates, raised the
lion left on his max contract wrath of fans and left many
“I don’t know. He’s voiced — though the 76ers placed puzzled why he wants off last
that, but we’ll see how that in escrow $8.25 million due season’s No. 1 seed in the
works out,” Rivers said to the guard, and fines for Eastern Conference.
Wednesday at team practice. missing games and practices
could be subtracted from that Sixers President Daryl Morey
A rescinded request seems amount. and Rivers have been public-
improbable, though Rivers ly optimistic since the start of
said Simmons “was great, he Rivers, who turned 60 on training camp that Simmons
was good” when the two met Wednesday, said he wanted would play again for the Six-
on Tuesday, a day after the Simmons to play. ers.
three-time All-Star surprised
the franchise by showing “I’m assuming he’s going to Simmons, the No. 1 pick
up to its arena during a pre- play, but who knows? I can’t of the 2016 draft, had been
season game to take a CO- get in anyone’s head,” Rivers paired with Joel Embiid as the
VID-19 test. said. franchise cornerstones as the
Sixers chase their first NBA
Rivers said Simmons was Rivers said he hasn’t ruled championship since 1983.
scheduled to return to the out Simmons traveling with He averaged 15.9 points, 8.1
practice facility late Wednes- the team to Detroit. rebounds and 7.7 assists over
day for an individual work- four seasons with the Sixers,
out and will not practice with “Whether we play him or who drafted him out of LSU,
the team until he clears NBA not, that’s going to depend where he played only one