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Joel Embiid intends to ‘play as many minutes as possible’ to get in shape for Sixers’ playoff run

“The next one, I hope the game’s not close, but if it is, to go over that 35-minute mark. Try and get to 40 and then the last game of the season, same thing.”

Sixers Joel Embiid is introduced before his game with the Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 9, 2024.
Sixers Joel Embiid is introduced before his game with the Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Tuesday, April 9, 2024.Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer

So how do the 76ers expect Joel Embiid to get into shape ahead of the NBA postseason?

“Playing,” the reigning MVP said after logging 35 minutes, 49 seconds in Tuesday’s 120-102 victory over the Detroit Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center. “Playing as many minutes as possible. Those [final] two games, tonight, over 30 minutes.

“The next one, I hope the game’s not close, but if it is, to go over that 35-minute mark. Try and get to 40 and then the last game of the season, same thing.”

» READ MORE: ixers-Pistons takeaways: Joel Embiid dominates, Buddy Hield finds his rhythm and more

At this point in the season, Embiid doesn’t have the luxury of slow-rolling his return and putting in work on off days to limit the physical load after having left knee surgery on Feb. 6. As a result, he worked on conditioning over the last four games.

After playing 29:21 in his first game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 2, Embiid logged 32:40 Thursday against the Miami Heat. In a blowout victory, he played just 22:39 Saturday versus the Memphis Grizzlies, before having Sunday off as the Sixers faced the San Antonio Spurs.

But Embiid did have a scare against the Pistons while logging the most minutes since his return. He appeared to tweak his left knee in the third quarter. However, the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder downplayed the incident, saying “I’m fine.”

The Sixers (45-35) were off Wednesday. They’ll practice Thursday in advance of Friday’s much-anticipated game against Orlando Magic at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers will conclude the regular season Sunday at home against the Brooklyn Nets.

» READ MORE: Kelly Oubre came to Philly on a minimum deal. Now he’s an invaluable member of the Sixers.

They’re remained in seventh-place in the East after Wednesday’s NBA action. But with the Miami Heat and fifth-place Magic (46-34) both losing, victories in their final two games would give the Sixers the sixth seed fo the postseason.

That’s because they already have the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Magic and eighth-place Miami (44-36) is one game back in the loss column.

But if the season ended Wednesday, the Sixers would host the Heat in the upcoming NBA Play-In Tournament on April 16. So there’s definitely some motivation to win the final two games to get out of the Play-In and get a week of practice before the actual playoffs begin April 20.

The Sixers know they can only control what they do as the play-in tournament and NBA playoffs loom.

That’s why they’re excited Embiid got his rhythm back and De’Anthony Melton returned Tuesday after missing 21 games with a spine injury.

“We haven’t played with the full crew yet,” Nico Batum said. “I think the next game will be finally the one. We will have Tyrese [Maxey] and KL [Kyle Lowry] back. We got Joel. We just miss RoCo [Robert Covington]. … I think we are more focused on [players returning]. We are focused on how we can be the best team past [Sunday].”