The Philadelphia 76ers will welcome the second half of the 2020-21 NBA season without stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Despite this, veteran swingman Danny Green believes that the Sixers remain a top-tier squad.

Embiid and Simmons are still under quarantine after being exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19. As such, they will miss the Sixers' first game back on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls. Green isn't too concerned about the duo's absence.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” Danny Green said, per Noah Levick of NBC Sports. “Myself, I’m always motivated. I don’t need extra motivation. But it’s not the best way to start (after) the break, without our All-Stars, basically, (playing) teams that are very capable of beating anybody in the league. We’re in a good space mentally. We know we’ve got to get some rust off.

“We came out today to get up and down a little bit. We know the first couple days, first couple minutes, will be ugly. We’ve just got to play hard, communicate and get through it, and hopefully get back into rhythm and shape sooner than other teams.”

Embiid and Simmons have the focal point of Doc Rivers' system that has guided the Sixers to an impressive 24-12 record so far. Not only will the 76ers Embiid and Simmons' lucrative production, but they will also miss their leadership. This is where the likes of Green, Dwight Howard, and Tobias Harris will come into play. It will definitely be a test for the Sixers. But it's an obstacle they need to go through to see if they really are an elite team.