The Philadelphia 76ers will be coming into Monday's game against the Miami Heat extremely shorthanded. It was earlier reported that leading MVP candidate Joel Embiid won't be available with a sore back and it has now been confirmed that James Harden will also be joining him on the sidelines.

The Sixers are playing in the second night of a back-to-back set, and they have now also decided to give Harden the night off. It doesn't sound like the 10-time All-Star is currently dealing with a significant injury. Harden is just being given some rest here by the Sixers (h/t Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice):

Both Harden and Embiid were on the court on Sunday in a 93-88 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Philly is playing their second game in two nights, which was a major factor in the team's decision to rest both of their star players.

Nevertheless, this still comes as a bit of a surprise considering how they are set to face off against the best team in the Eastern Conference in the Miami Heat. This was supposed to be a marquee matchup and a potential preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. However, Philly will be at a clear disadvantage with both Harden and Embiid watching from the sidelines.