Sixers center Joel Embiid, who hasn’t played since the All-Star Game because of soreness in his left knee, told reporters before tonight’s game that he plans to be back next week, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
Embiid added that the pain in his knee had been intensifying before the break and he wanted to get it back in shape heading into the postseason. He said he approached team officials about taking a few games off (Twitter link).
“It’s all about long-term preservation and making sure I’m ready, not just for the playoffs, [but] also for the next 15 years,” Embiid said in a quote relayed by Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. “Knowing the team and what we’ve been through, knowing me and knowing that I like to push on everything, I like to play through anything, we just felt like it was better to preserve.”
The Sixers have won three out of four games without Embiid and enter the night half a game out of third place in the East. Aggressive moves to add Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris have made Philadelphia one of the top contenders in the conference if everyone is healthy.
Embiid says the rest has been effective and his knee is feeling better, tweets Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I didn’t feel comfortable and coming from me, you know that if I don’t want to push through anything, it means that I really need it (rest),” Embiid said (Twitter link).
Bontemps also offered an update on rookie Zhaire Smith, who has been sidelined all season because of foot surgery and a food-related allergic reaction. Smith said he had to regain more than 40 pounds after his weight dropped to 164 (Twitter link).
Smith played his first game last night for the Sixers’ G League affiliate in Delaware, but isn’t expected to see any NBA action this season. He logged 15 minutes and posted two points, three rebounds and two assists.
Joel Embiid PHI minutes played:
23:11 – All Star Game
Embiid added that the pain in his knee had been intensifying before the break and he wanted to get it back in shape heading into the postseason. He said he approached team officials about taking a few games off
So why play 23 minutes in a meaningless game if you were in pain?
SMH!!!!
That Philly-GSW game was so boring. GSW was an exciting team to watch until Lumbering Cousins, the new Shaq, came along. The refs are now giving him the “big man is allowed to get going” calls like they gifted Shaq with. Basically this means, he is allowed to shoulder defenders around when he has the ball. Why does Cousins deserve this? Can’t he be expected to make a basketball play?
Opponent Mike Scott just stood on the 3pt line launching 3s unopposed because Cousins does not pursue. Thrilling.
I was thinking the same thing. Warriors should go and get Gortat. He can play the Pachulia role that worked so well for the team. Cousins is a good player and fits offensively great but idk if it’s his injury or poor conditioning thats got him standing around on defense too much.