Sixers

Joel Embiid Will Miss Sixers’ Next Three Games

By Russ Joy

Published: Mar 30th, 2019 · 12:49 PM EDT

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The load management is real. Yesterday, word got out that Joel Embiid would miss Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves:

Sixers center Joel Embiid will miss tomorrow’s game against the #Timberwolves due to load management (left knee), according to the NBA injury report.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) March 30, 2019

Now we’ve learned – per Sixers head coach Brett Brown – Joel Embiid will miss the next three games:

Joel Embiid who will not play tonight (load management) will not meet the team on this trip.

Brett Brown says they will see Joel back in Philadelphia for the Milwaukee game.

Brett says they are just being proactive and smart about his load management.

— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 30, 2019

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Sixers are 3.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics for third in the Eastern Conference and 4.5 games back of the Toronto Raptors for second. The Sixers’ next three games feature teams that are far out of playoff contention: Minnesota is 9.5 games behind Oklahoma City, at 29-46 the Dallas Mavericks have the sixth-worst record in the league, and – despite smacking the Sixers in the mouth a week ago – the Atlanta Hawks are a woeful 27-49. If there’s a stretch of games to rest Embiid, it’s this one. The Sixers finish the regular season with a four-game stretch:

• April 4th vs. Milwaukee (Home)
• April 6th @ Chicago (Away)
• April 9th @ Miami (Away)
• April 10th vs. Chicago (Home)

I’d imagine Embiid plays against Milwaukee and sits for both Chicago games. Making sure the Process is well rested should be the team’s top priority. It looks like they agree.