Philadelphia 76ers should have made Joel Embiid rest during All-Star Game

With Joel Embiid hoping to play on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers, it’s tough not to wonder if the Philadelphia 76ers should have rested their star center during the All-Star Game.

At the moment, early signs point to Joel Embiid finally making his return to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup after previously missing the last eight games due to knee soreness, meaning the star center hasn’t officially played since before All-Star Weekend.

Looking at his history, it’s easy to understand the concerns over Embiid since there have been numerous times over the last couple of weeks in which it was clear just how much the Sixers miss having their beloved center in the lineup.

But also, when taking a look back at that All-Star Game in the middle of February, one has to wonder why on earth Philadelphia allowed him to participate in the first place.

From a competitive standpoint, it’s easy to understand why Embiid of all players would love the opportunity to participate in the big event, as an opportunity to have a little fun, and it was great to see him record a double-double in 23 minutes of action.

However, Sixers fans have been more than frustrated in the weeks since the All-Star Game since that was the last time Embiid was able to step foot on the court before going on to miss the next eight games due to knee soreness.

Between Embiid’s history of injuries along with looking at the big picture in the long run when the Sixers should be concerned about him playing in the playoffs, allowing him to play in the All-Star Game was a terrible decision.

While the team’s 4-4 record without Embiid over the last eight games doesn’t seem like the biggest deal in the world, every win they can get moving forward is going to be extremely important for the Sixers when it comes to the Eastern Conference standings.

Even if Embiid does return to his normal self on Sunday while helping Philadelphia earn a major win over Indiana, this still won’t take away from the frustration since All-Star Weekend over the knee injury.

Maybe next year if Embiid finds himself in a similar situation in regards to playing in the All-Star Game, the Sixers will think twice about having him play since the contest is simply entertainment, and this year is the perfect example of how annoying the aftermath can be.