76ers’ Joel Embiid prioritizes health for playoffs: ‘There is no All-Star. There is no All-NBA

PHILADELPHIA – Last spring, after the Philadelphia 76ers were again knocked out of the playoffs early, Joel Embiid texted Daryl Morey. The Sixers star had a message for the franchise’s director of basketball. Next time, he had to be healthy for the postseason no matter what.

This has been difficult to achieve in recent years. Embiid was struck by a litany of ailments during the playoffs of his career. Those injuries slowed Embiid and led to early postseason exits for Philadelphia.

He suffered a left knee injury last April and then also played through Bell’s Palsy, which affected him in the team’s Play-In win against the Miami Heat and continued to affect him during the Sixers’ first-round series against the New York Knicks.

Now Embiid is ready to do whatever it takes to be healthy at the most important time of the schedule. Even though it seems to cost him personal fame.

“This year it’s all about there being no agenda, no All-Star, no All-NBA,” Embiid said. ‘There isn’t any of that. There is everything it takes to make sure I get to that point where I’m ready to go. Because I’ve actually been injured in the playoffs every year in my career. So I think that’s the goal.

“It’s about doing what it takes to get there. And physically I’m fine. I’m not where I want to be yet and I know I’ve got the support, and they all want the same thing.”

Embiid’s 2023-24 season was cut short after he tore the meniscus in his left knee last January. The injury came as Embiid and other league stars struggled with the proper way to approach the NBA’s new 65-game rule, which required them to play in at least that many games to be eligible for the Most Valuable Player and other competitions. honor.

He had been one of the frontrunners for the MVP award at the time and was in position to win it in consecutive years.

But Embiid missed two months due to a meniscus tear, played just 39 games last season and failed to make an All-NBA team for the second time since he was a rookie. The injury cost Embiid, but it also nearly put a damper on Philadelphia’s season.

The Sixers fell out of the top of the Eastern Conference while he was out and had to win a Play-In game to make the playoffs.

His health will once again hang over Philadelphia all season. They have championship aspirations after signing Paul George this summer to pair with Embiid and All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey.

Embiid lost weight in preseason this summer — 25 to 30 pounds, he said — and plans to be right for the playoffs. The 76ers are ready for that too.

Morey said the team with Embiid will “be very smart” and not give up on the regular season, “but obviously we’re very focused on April, May and June.”

“That doesn’t mean that time isn’t very important at the moment, but we’re going to be very smart in the way we manage him throughout the season,” Morey said. “And there will be a lot of information as we learn how everything works with the entire roster, but specifically with Joel.

“We actually have quite a few guys who we think we need to be smart about how we manage them throughout the season, while still maintaining a high level of play and keeping our eye on the prize.”

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(Photo: Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)