Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is already on pace to play more games this season than the entirety of last season.

Due to injury, Embiid only played in 31 games last year, which prevented him from being considered by many to be the Rookie of the Year and also to be an All-Star.

But the 76ers are still being very cautious with Embiid's health this season. Thus far, he has not played in any back-to-backs. With Embiid being injury prone, Philadelphia didn't want to take any chances.

Now it appears Embiid will finally get a chance to really prove what he's made of. He hopes to be playing in back-to-back games at the end of this month, per Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer.

Perhaps what's been keeping Embiid out of back-to-back situations has been how he has felt throughout the season. Embiid admitted that he was not 100 percent, but he feels like he's getting closer to that mark, per Pompey.

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There can be an argument made that with how important Embiid is to the franchise, he should not overtax his body if he is not 100 percent. The organization and its fans don't want to see Embiid get injured and miss more time.

Embiid may also not be in full basketball shape because he's missed every back-to-back so far this season. In the games he has played — 31 so far — there have been nights he plays over 35 minutes, and some he only plays in the mid-20s.

Perhaps it's time for Embiid to play in those back-to-backs merely so he has the full confidence that his body can withstand the true rigors of an NBA season.