Joel Embiid says shorter rests help maintain his rhythm

Dec 5, 2025 4:27 PM

Joel Embiid wasn’t on the floor for the decisive possessions of Thursday’s game, having already reached his 25-minute cap late in the third quarter.

As Tim Bontemps noted, the 76ers will also hold Embiid out of Friday’s matchup against Milwaukee, the second half of a back-to-back.

The star center has played in only eight games this season while managing ongoing knee issues, and the team continues to follow a cautious plan with his workload.

Embiid explained that it actually feels better for his body when his minutes are used earlier rather than being reserved for late-game situations.

“I just think after last game I sat too long, and I think that’s happened in the past, earlier in the season, sitting too long and coming back in the fourth,” the player said.

He emphasized that staying active rather than cooling down for extended stretches helps him maintain rhythm and avoid discomfort.

He added that until the team is ready to increase his minutes, he needs to avoid long breaks on the bench.

“Until I’m able to bump that up or they’ll allow me to play more, I think I just got to not sit too long, just play basketball and that’s also the best way to get in a rhythm because obviously, being in and out and obviously not playing back-to-backs and playing, basically playing every two days, that’s how you get in rhythm.”