Embiid slam-dunks minutes restriction
PHILADELPHIA » Joel Embiid waved goodbye to Oklahoma City’s Steven Adams after the big man fouled out in overtime of Friday’s game.
In so doing, Embiid also waved goodbye to any minutes restriction the team was trying to maintain. He logged nearly 49 minutes in the Sixers’ 119-117 triple-overtime loss to the Thunder. He never came off the court in any of the three extra sessions. He eclipsed by almost 10 minutes his previous careerhigh minutes total, which he set Tuesday night when he played 39 in Minnesota.
That’s three times in four games now that Embiid has established a new mark for most minutes played in a game.
“There was talk about” sitting Embiid for a minute or two during overtime, said Sixers coach Brett Brown.
“(Embiid) felt good about playing,” Brown said. “We listened to him as a staff and thought that was going to work. Maybe, in the light of day, we could’ve given him a minute here or there.”
And to think the Sixers had considered keeping Embiid out of this one. He scored 34 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished six assists despite suffering from back pain and tightness in recent days.
“I might need a year of rest,” Embiid said, smiling. “Nah, I’m fine.”
The Sixers used an 11-0 run to force the first overtime. They had the ball for the final possessions of the first and second overtime sessions, but were unable to get a good look at the basket.
In the final minute of the third overtime, it was Embiid’s block against defending league MVP Russell Westbrook that could have swung the game in the Sixers’ favor. On their next trip, J.J. Redick’s 3-point attempt got swatted by Oklahoma City’s Patrick Patterson. Westbrook got fouled, missed two free throws and, with 1.2 seconds remaining, the Sixers’ full-court heave fell short.
Westbrook, by the way, finished with 27 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists. To get his comeuppance, Westbrook waved to Embiid after the game had ended.
“(Westbrook) told me to go home,” Embiid said. “And this is my home. I ain’t going nowhere.”
Asked when he thought the game changed, between the second and third overtimes, Brown didn’t have an immediate answer.
“I’m going to have to go back and look at the tape,” he said. It was a long night.”
It was for everyone for Embiid.
The workload didn’t evaporate Embiid’s sense of humor. He looked at Ben Simmons in the team’s locker room and said, jokingly, that the team would be practicing Saturday at 9 a.m. Simmons wasn’t buying it. Embiid kept the act going.
“So,” Embiid said, “see you there?” involved, but especially