The Sixer Sense
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Joel Embiid should have minutes restrictions in back-to-backs

By Christopher Kline

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 26: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 26, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 26: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 26, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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We all want to see Joel Embiid play, but the Philadelphia 76ers star should be limited in certain situations.

Monday night will mark the first back-to-back of Joel Embiid’s NBA career. The Philadelphia 76ers will be making the trip from OKC to Milwaukee, pitting Embiid and company against a Bucks team that has played well after firing Jason Kidd.

There are some underlying positives and negatives here. If Embiid is healthy enough to be on the court each and every night, that’s obviously a sizable boost to the Sixers’ playoff hopes. It also ends many of the “how often can he be on the floor” arguments used against Embiid when debating the best players in the league.

Still, the Sixers can’t be too cautious here. We just saw DeMarcus Cousins rupture his Achilles during the most minutes-intensive stretch of his career. In a league that’s built on pace, players of Embiid’s size are at a natural disadvantage when it comes to staying healthy.

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That, combined with Embiid’s style of play and injury history, is a bit concerning. The Sixers need him on the floor to get to the competitive level they want to be at, but preserving him long term is still important.

You don’t want to compromise Jo’s longevity for the sake playing him more often. We’re still in the early stages of the Sixers’ ascent, so resting Embiid as much as possible — when reasonable — is a solid plan.

If he’s going to play back-to-backs, he at least needs to start with a minutes restriction. There might not be any significant medical reason behind it, but throwing him directly into the proverbial fire could have unintended consequences.

Embiid hasn’t played in a back-to-back since his one season at Kansas, a season he didn’t even finish. For somebody who missed over two years of basketball and has been worked back into the rotation slowly, playing two nights in a row is bound to have an intense physical toll.

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He’s also coming off an extremely physical game against OKC. Aside from banging with Steven Adams in the post, Embiid also went to the ground a few times in what was a chippy game for four quarters straight. He played 36 minutes, which is pretty close to his career-high when overtime isn’t involved.

You can’t be too cautious when dealing with somebody who, quite frankly, is the future of the franchise. The Sixers’ long term success is heavily dependent on Embiid being healthy, so overexerting him now could result in some serious issues moving forward.

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When you block out national talking heads, this seems like the consensus among most fans. And, if anything, the Cousins injury serves as a frightening example of the worst-case scenario. You can play Jo in back-to-backs, but make sure he isn’t racking up too many minutes over a short period of time.