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Sixers’ Joel Embiid, understanding his value, is taking a mature approach with his health

Joel Embiid used to push back at the thought of a minutes restriction, but now he's grown to realize how important preserving his health really is.

Joel Embiid tips in a basket in the fourth quarter of the Sixers' win over the Pacers on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Joel Embiid tips in a basket in the fourth quarter of the Sixers' win over the Pacers on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

There’s something different about Joel Embiid this season.

It’s not just his growth on the court, his evolving skill-set, or any of his many abilities.

It’s his maturity and his understanding of his value to the 76ers success.

Just last season, Embiid would balk at the idea of a minutes restriction or the staff suggesting he take even one game off for rest. But now, he’s embracing it and bringing up the possibility of rest in a positive light.

“I hate not playing, I always want to play and always push to play,” Embiid said Sunday after a 106-89 win over the Pacers. “At the end of the day I have to trust all these guys, and we’ve done a great job as far as getting me back on the court and taking the right approach. And I’m sure at some point in these last 15 games I’m going to miss a game just to make sure I’m good to go for the playoffs.”

Embiid approached the Sixers medical staff following the All-Star break about soreness that he was experiencing in his left knee. Despite a clean MRI, together they decided that the best course of action was to shut Embiid down and let him heal as much as possible, especially since the team was in a comfortable position in the Eastern Conference standings.

On March 2, Embiid addressed the time off and said that he could play if the team needed him but that he would rather preserve his body, not just for the playoffs, but for the rest of his career.

He went on to say that it benefits the team to learn to play without him because those situations are bound to arise.

“I’ve matured a lot and I’ve learned not to fight about stupid stuff,” he said. “If the team wants me to rest, I’ll listen.”

That’s a huge difference from Oct. 17, 2017, when Embiid lashed out with an expletive-laden monologue at the idea of starting out the season on a minutes restriction, or in April 2018 when he sounded off on Instagram about “being babied” and missing time during the playoffs after recovering from a broken orbital bone.

“All he wants to do is play and you commend him for that," T.J. McConnell said Sunday. “But he’s also starting to realize how valuable he is to our team.”

That value is undeniable. Embiid returned after missing eight consecutive games and scored 33 points to go with 12 rebounds in just 28 minutes.

While the shift in maturity is most noticeable in his off-court demeanor and his approach to staying healthy, his teammates and the coaching staff have noticed a maturity in his play as well. Despite missing time and being admittedly rusty to start out the game, he fell into a rhythm in the second half on Sunday.

“Maybe in his first year or even last year you could see him force it a little bit and I think he’s taken a step back and let the game come to him,” McConnell said. “It’s pretty easy for him, and when he realizes that and lets the game come to him he does stuff like he did tonight.”

Embiid is going to be an integral part of everything the Sixers do for many years to come. His ability to recognize his importance and take the right steps, without fighting, in order to be there when the team needs him the most, is as important as any on-court skill or individual talent.