Sixers' Joel Embiid is "available" to play in back-to-backs, against Bucks on Monday

OKLAHOMA CITY – Barring a setback, Joel Embiid will play Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

For the first time in his two-year NBA career the 76ers center will play on consecutive nights. He and his teammates lost 122-112 to the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

"I just got told I was available," Embiid said before Sunday's game. "I think it's depending on how I feel after the game. But I expect to feel great, because my body has been feeling really good.

"Hopefully, I will play [Monday]."

He has missed at least one game of the five back-to-back situations the Sixers have had this season.

In all, Embiid has missed nine games because of rest and minor injuries.

"Obviously, I really want to play," he said. "I feel like that's the missing part of my NBA career."

Ben Simmons has been on fire in his first two games after his NBA All-Star Game snub. The Sixers' rookie point guard had 19 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. That was the night after the All-Star reserves were announced. He followed up that performance with 21 points on 10-for-11 shooting on Friday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Simmons downplayed the snub being his motivation.

"At the end of the day, I was looking at it like the coaches are going to pick, the players are going to pick. How is it going to work in my favor?" he said. "I'm a young guy coming into the league. It's my first year. Obviously, if I was a vet, I probably wouldn't pick a rookie.

"So it is what it is."

Jerryd Bayless hoped to return to action Monday from a left-wrist injury that has sidelined him for four games.

However, the combo guard gave the impression Sunday that his return will be delayed a little longer.

"It feels OK," Bayless said. "It's not there, yet. But it feels OK."