PHILADELPHIA — Across the court, underneath the enormous jumbotron and the raucous cheers of Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night, Joel Embiid doubled over. Whether it was Tyrese Maxey or Kelly Oubre or cult hero Nicolas Batum stepping to the opposite foul line, Embiid would wade back to the defensive end, laboring with his 280-pound frame, to save himself for another frenetic sprint down the hardwood.
The suboptimal conditioning for the reigning MVP — still making his way back from a lengthy knee injury — was evident with each of his heavy breaths.