Sixers should act conservatively with Joel Embiid’s knee

Joel Embiid has been dealing with knee soreness from the jump this season after banging knees in the season opener. Given the 7-footer’s long injury resumé and the general uncertainty around this particular Sixers season, fans are rightly uneasy — if not outright panicked.

So far, it hasn’t cost Embiid any time, save for a minutes restriction in last week’s infamous Brooklyn meltdown. The reigning MVP runner-up has once again flashed MVP potential, but it’s clear the knee injury is lingering longer than one would like.

In Tuesday’s loss to New York, Embiid posted 14 points on 2-of-7 shooting. He looked stiff on offense and didn’t make his customarily elite impact on defense either. The Sixers lost for reasons extending far beyond Embiid’s individual struggles, but it was the game in which his knee injury and conditioning most clearly took center stage.

The Sixers should proceed cautiously with Joel Embiid’s knee pain.

Embiid has been listed as “questionable” in every game since suffering the knee injury on opening night. It’s time for the Sixers to stop letting him “push through it,” as the 26-year-old claimed was his goal Tuesday night. Embiid is doubly important to Philadelphia’s success in the absence of Ben Simmons, but it is too early in the season to put added stress on his body. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

The Sixers are 2-2 on the young season and find themselves in a copious position, having lost to two good teams and won against two bad teams. That would suggest Philly is somewhat in the middle — not quite great, not quite bad. Until the Simmons situation is resolved, either with his return or with his trade, it will likely stay that way.

A tough upcoming schedule could instill more panic in the franchise and the fanbase. Without Simmons, there’s a lot resting on Embiid’s shoulders, and he undoubtedly knows that. There’s more pressure than ever for Embiid to perform like an MVP, but the Sixers have to maintain the longview. There’s no difference between the No. 1 seed and the No. 8 seed if Embiid isn’t healthy in the postseason.

The Sixers’ lack of depth and offensive playmakers is deeply problematic when preaching injury patience with respect to Embiid. Remove him from the lineup, and the Sixers are virtually hopeless. That said, a couple missed games now could help avoid a longer absence down the road. That’s the kind of mindset Philadelphia has to have in this situation.

Embiid should not play Thursday night against Detroit. It’s that simple.