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Sixers' Joel Embiid sidelined vs. Milwaukee Bucks

The Sixers plan for Joel Embiid to play in a back-to-back situation on Friday and Saturday.

Sixers center Joel Embiid.
Sixers center Joel Embiid.Read moreLaurence Kesterson / AP
    by Keith Pompey | Columnist
    Published 

MILWAUKEE – Joel Embiid's quest to play on consecutive nights will be delayed until the end of the week.

The 76ers center had been deemed "available" to play in Monday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, assuming his body felt good after Sunday's matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. But the team decided his body needs rest after he logged 35 minutes, 32 seconds of playing time in the 122-112 setback at OKC — the most he had played since getting 48:39 of court time in a triple-overtime loss to the Thunder on Dec. 15.  So the NBA All-Star will sit out Monday night's game against the Bucks (26-22).

He and the Sixers (24-22) will face the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center to cap their four-game road trip. The plan is for him to play Friday at home against the Miami Heat and Saturday against the Pacers in Indiana.

This is the sixth back-to-back situation the Sixers have faced this season, and Embiid has missed at least one game in each of those pairs. This also is the 10th game he will have missed this season because of rest and/or minor injuries. He also didn't play in both games of back-to-back situations last season.