Joel Embiid scored 29 points in Philadelphia's win Wednesday vs. Cleveland.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid powered the Philadelphia 76ers to a big win in their final game before the All-Star break. Whether or not he keeps his play rolling in the 2023 All-Star Game remains unknown, though.
Embiid finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and a block in the 76ers’ 118-112 win Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With the victory, Philadelphia (38-19) strengthened its grip on No. 3 in the Eastern Conference, where it trails the No. 1-seeded Boston Celtics (42-17) by three games and the No. 2-seeded Milwaukee Bucks (40-17) by one game.
After the game, Embiid — scheduled to be a starter in the All-Star Game in Utah on Sunday night — indicated that he may sit the game out due to lingering left foot soreness that has been officially marked on the Sixers injury report since the club’s trip to the West Coast in late December. Embiid mentioned that doctors had told him that getting off of the foot was necessary in order to prevent the injury from getting worse.
“I was trying to get the All-Star Break without missing games” Embiid said. “But I think that I may have reached the point where I need to follow the doctors advice. We’ll see how the next few days go.”
If Embiid should miss the game, he would become the fourth player who was tabbed as an All-Star but will not play. Last week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver named De’Aaron Fox, Anthony Edwards and Pascal Siakam as All-Star replacements for Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson, who have all been ruled out with injury.
As a part of those All-Star Game roster changes, Embiid was named a starter to replace Durant. Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Embiid said after Wednesday’s game he’s focused on getting healthy.
Will the chemistry between James Harden and Joel Embiid be enough to get the 76ers over the hump in the postseason?
“I haven’t been healthy,” Embiid said. “I’ve been having this lingering foot issue. According to the doctors, which needs a lot of rest and staying off my feet.
“Like I said, the focus is on winning, especially getting ready for the second half of the season and the playoffs. I’m focused on winning a championship. If that helps me get there healthy, then that’s what I’m going to do. I’m just going to see how it goes.”
In the win vs. the Cavs, Embiid the 10,000 point mark early in the first quarter. He accomplished the milestone in his 373rd game — the fastest in franchise history ahead of Allen Iverson’s 378.
“I can only think what if I didn’t miss all these games, but that’s not where the focus is,” Embiid said. “I’m just focused on what I can do to help the team. Whether it is scoring a lot, passing, defensively- then I’m going to do it.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
