The NBA all-star starters were announced on Thursday night, and 76ers star center Joel Embiid was not included in the East starting five.
In a year where frontcourt players in the East have been dominant, Embiid was the odd-man out of the starters that include the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nets’ Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell.
An argument can be made that Embiid should be starting over Antetokounmpo, but that’s not where Sixers president of basketball operations chose to take aim on Friday.