Playing in back-to-backs is a huge step forward for Joel Embiid

By Christopher Kline | Feb 5, 2018

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 31: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 31, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. 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. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images) /

Joel Embiid is playing in back-to-backs and that’s huge for the Philadelphia 76ers.

In his own words, Joel Embiid has finally fulfilled the “missing part” of his NBA career: playing back-to-backs. The Philadelphia 76ers‘ star traveled with the team to Indiana Saturday night, putting up 24 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes. For his first experience, that’s an impressive line.

That kind of progression is huge in many ways. Not only does it give Embiid some personal vindication, but it sets the Sixers up for more consistent success in the coming weeks. Back-to-backs aren’t too common, but it’s always nice to have your best player on the court whenever possible.

Gregg Popovich has alluded this to the past when talking about the difficulty of Brett Brown’s job, and it’s something that largely goes unnoticed. When your best player is automatically slated to miss a few games here and there, it hurts the continuity of the team. It’s hard to be consistent when you can’t rely on your best player’s presence.

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Embiid still has some lingering health issues, as does any 7-foot-2 human with prior injury history. But being able to play him on back-to-back nights is a huge boost to a team that’s in the midst of a tight playoff race. The Sixers are currently just a half game ahead of the newly-revamped Pistons for the eighth seed, so any win is crucial.

The aforementioned quote from Embiid is also telling. He’s one of the most competitive guys in the league, so not being able to play on any given night is tough. You could always tell he wanted to be on the floor during those “load management” games, so this could end up being a nice boost to his long-term confidence (not that he needed one).

Philadelphia is currently among the best defensive teams in the country, and a lot the credit goes to Embiid. He’s an elite rim protector and a hulking presence in the paint, putting him in strong contention for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

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Losing your defensive backbone and No. 1 offensive option sporadically throughout the season is difficult to manage. The Sixers still need to be extremely careful with Jo’s workload, but at least we know he’s capable of playing when they need him to. That, above all else, makes this the biggest medical step he has taken since his initial return to the court.