Joel Embiid: “We’ve got to stop calling it a minutes restriction”

By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 

There has been so much talk about how much Joel Embiid was going to play on Opening Night, whether it be 16 minutes or little more than that, but Embiid has had enough.

The big man ended up playing 27 minutes total in the Sixers' 120-115 loss to the Washington Wizards, but Embiid told NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jessica Camerato that people need to stop referring to Embiid's situation as a "minutes restriction."

Joel Embiid's take on managing his playing time: pic.twitter.com/AZR5RbwtEc

— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoNBCS) October 19, 2017

He does have a point. Embiid did end up having a pretty efficient night on the floor, getting a double-double in his first regular season game in eight months since being sidelined with a partially torn meniscus in February.

Embiid finished the game with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and a block. But he did look tired at times, hence Embiid sitting on the floor of the sidelines when he was on the bench.

It is more about playing games and taking breaks than full blown minutes restrictions. It is interesting how the Sixers coaching staff completely disregarded their original minutes restriction and let Embiid play 27 minutes, 11 more than originally planned.

Will Embiid follow the same guideline for Friday's home opener against the 0-2 Boston Celtics? Or will he play more minutes than anticipated?