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Sixers’ Joel Embiid is named NBA All-Star Game starter, Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler in play for reserve nominations

Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler could be named reserves next week.

Joel Embiid was named an Eastern Conference NBA All-Star Game starter for the second consecutive season.
Joel Embiid was named an Eastern Conference NBA All-Star Game starter for the second consecutive season.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

It’s a great thing for Joel Embiid and the 76ers that the center didn’t follow through with his idea.

Unable to play in his first two seasons, the third overall pick of the 2014 NBA draft considered walking away from basketball.

On Thursday, he became the franchise’s first player voted to start in consecutive NBA All-Star Games since Allen Iverson did it seven straight times from 2000 to 2006.

The league’s best center, Embiid was always expected to be named an Eastern Conference starter for the second straight season.

But it became official when the 2019 starters were announced Thursday night. The All-Star reserves, selected by the league’s coaches, will be announced on Jan. 31. Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler are candidates to be reserves.

The game will be on Feb. 17 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (West) and Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (East) led the 10 starters chosen in voting by fans, players and a panel of reporters. The fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote total, with the media members and players accounting for 25 percent each.

James and Antetokoumpo will serve as team captains after finishing as the top vote-getters in their respective conferences.

The captains will select the rosters from the starters and reserves on TNT on Feb. 7. Each captain must pick four players from the other eight starters. Starters from the Eastern Conference are Antetokounmpo, Toronto Raptors small forward Kawhi Leonard, Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving, Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker, and Embiid.

For the Western Conference, the starters are James, Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry, Houston Rockets guard James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Paul George and Warriors small forward Kevin Durant.

Embiid finished third in the fan voting for Eastern Conference frontcourt players. He was also third in both the player and media voting.

His career was set back by injuries in the beginning. After Embiid missed his first two seasons following two foot surgeries, his 2016-17 campaign was cut short by surgery on his left knee.

However, he has blossomed into an MVP candidate this season.

Entering last night’s games, Embiid was tied with Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert atop the NBA with 40 double-doubles. Fourteen came in his last 16 games. He was also seventh in the league in scoring (27.2 points per game), tied for third in rebounds (13.3), and seventh in blocks (1.96).

Brewer’s second 10-day deal

As expected, the Sixers will sign small forward Corey Brewer to a second 10-day contract on Friday. A player can sign a maximum of two consecutive 10-day contracts with the same team before that squad must sign him for the remainder of the season or release him.

Brewer is averaging 7.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.7 steals in three games with the Sixers. The 6-foot-9, 185-pounder started against the Houston Rockets on Monday and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in place of the sidelined Butler (sprained right wrist).