PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are coming down the homestretch of the 2o22-23 season locked into the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid and James Harden have been nursing injuries, so the Sixers are planning to take precautions ahead of the postseason.
With a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on the second night of a back-to-back on deck, Embiid will not travel to Atlanta with the Sixers, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. After playing 30 minutes in a blowout loss to the Miami Heat at home, the MVP frontrunner will get some much-needed rest before a huge test in the playoffs.
“Obviously, it's about the playoffs,” Joel Embiid said after the game, a common theme to his answers about his health as the season winds down. “With no chance of moving up or moving down [in the standings], you got to think about what's best for everybody.”
As has been the case for years, Embiid's health is the single most important factor for the Sixers leading into the playoffs. He dealt with a calf issue that previously kept him out against the Denver Nuggets (and the second half of a game against the Chicago Bulls). In past years, he has carried injuries into the playoffs and sustained new ones. The Sixers resting him is the right move as they hope to prove they are title contenders.
Harden has dealt with a more serious Achilles issue that previously caused him to miss four games and has bothered him for months. Resting him seems like a sensible option, though his status has not yet been revealed. The Sixers' regular season wraps up on Sunday afternoon with a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets in Barclays Center.
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