Joel Embiid is an NBA all-star. He relishes banging his 7-foot body against 76ers opponents, averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds per game.
“That’s what I live for, being physical,” he said after a Jan. 15 win over the Toronto Raptors.
Yet wary of his injury record, and of the litany of fractures and sprains suffered by former NBA big men such as Yao Ming and Bill Walton, the Sixers continue to restrict Embiid’s playing time. The star center has missed some games this year due to back tightness, and sits out for others that are scheduled on consecutive nights, due to a surgically repaired knee.