Philadelphia 76ers: The challenge of keeping Joel Embiid fresh

The Philadelphia 76ers will face a unique battle when it comes to keeping Joel Embiid fresh down the stretch.

Elton Brand‘s vision is beginning to shine through. The Philadelphia 76ers are 6-0 since Joel Embiid returned from his eight-game absence, while the new-look starting lineup is 7-1 when all five members are healthy.

The Sixers are legitimate contenders, with wins over Milwaukee and Boston to prove it. Depth remains a concern, but the Sixers have enough talent to compete in the wide-open Eastern Conference.

Brett Brown has four All-Star talents at his disposal, along with one of the best shooters in NBA history. It all starts, however, with Embiid — the borderline MVP candidate who’s rounding into the best center in basketball.

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Embiid single-handedly bulldozed the Celtics on Wednesday, scoring 37 points and 22 rebounds before making the game-saving block on Kyrie Irving. He forced his way to the free throw line 21 times, overpowering his former kryptonite in Al Horford.

It was a signature moment for Embiid, dominating a team that had previously given him issues. He was able to carry a tired Sixers team through three quarters before Jimmy Butler‘s inspired final frame, leading to arguably Philadelphia’s most important win of the season.

Moving forward, the Sixers are presented with the unique challenge of keeping Embiid fresh. Even with no major injury scares, Embiid carries a lot of mass at 7-foot-2, 250 pounds. Add in his long history of back, foot and knee problems, and there’s reason for extreme caution.

The Sixers made a smart strategic move in resting Embiid before the Celtics game, allowing the Sixers to win the first half of a back-to-back on Tuesday while still maintaining a spry, energized Embiid for the Boston game.

Those decisions should become commonplace moving forward. The Sixers are a virtual lock for the No. 3 seed, sitting 3.5 games ahead of Indiana and four games ahead of Boston. With only three games against playoff teams left on the schedule, the Sixers should find multiple opportunities to rest Embiid.

As the Sixers’ new starting five begins to gel, it’s important to get in as many reps as possible. Brett Brown is beginning to figure out the rotations and the new stars are finding ways to work off one another, which was on full display Wednesday night. There’s real growth happening.

There will naturally be concern about stunting that growth, but it’s difficult to overstate the importance of preserving Embiid down the stretch. He’s the engine that drives so much of the Sixers’ offense — the mere chance of losing him should spark proactive concern.

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His eight-game absence after the All-Star break was the culmination of knee pain that bothered him throughout the middle portion of the season. The Sixers need to make a concerted effort to limit the aches typical of 7-foot-2 big men who play significant NBA minutes.

Assuming the Sixers arrival healthy in the playoffs, the challenge becomes even more prominent. Rotations generally shorten in the postseason and the Sixers will need Embiid to compete with high-level opponents.

There’s a chance the Sixers skate through the first round without straining Embiid, but he’ll need a solid 36+ minutes per night against the likes of Toronto, Boston or Milwaukee. The Sixers, as talented as the starting lineup is, rely invariably on Embiid’s presence.

Embiid gets tired. It’s a fact, something the Sixers have dealt with numerous times over the past few seasons. Even when healthy, extensive minutes can weigh down Embiid’s energy and productivity late in games.

That can’t be the case — at least not consistently — in the postseason. Embiid has the talent to single-handedly propel the Sixers to victory. His physicality, rim protection and interior scoring present issues few teams are equipped to deal with. It’s just a matter of keeping him on the floor and at full strength.

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While it’s difficult to advocate for anything beyond the occasional rest day, the Sixers need to compile a game plan regarding Embiid’s schedule and his health. That’s why Embiid’s willingness to acknowledge his knee pain after the All-Star break was such an important step. He recognizes the importance of his preservation, both short and long term.