Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid OUT Tonight For 2021 All-Star Game
Who could have predicted that an event that required extensive travel for every NBA team mixed with public fanfare during a pandemic would blow up in the NBA’s face
The NBA is ruling out Embiid and Simmons for All-Star Game, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/PSiQ8xiOMo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 7, 2021
In the long-term, it is probably for the best for the Sixers two best players to get extensive rest. The second half of the NBA season is going to be nothing short of grueling. In an attempt to fit 72 games into a shortened season, there will be a lot of back to backs, and less rest between games. For example, the Sixers start the 2nd half of the season with a back to back away game stretch, and they will play 5 games in seven days.
In the short-term, this sucks. It would have been a joy to watch Simmons and Embiid get a chance to shine on a national stage. Especially for Embiid as the MVP campaign run continues deep into the season. As the frontrunner thus far, the spotlight surely would have been on him. Hard not to envision the clip of Embiid hitting a fadeaway against Lebron James in crunch time last year and hoping to see that again this year. And even for Simmons, who often never garners the respect he deserves, this opportunity would have been great.
Plus, for the first time in quite some time, I think we are all going through Sixers withdrawal! We genuinely miss watching them play every other night, and that could not have been said in years past.
Should the All-Star Game have been played? Not a chance. Am I sad that I now have now vested interest in watching it? Absolutely.