The Philadelphia 76ers plan to restrict Joel Embiid’s playing time. And on Thursday, he didn’t even participate in the team’s training camp sessions.

But there will be some anticipation surrounding the 7-foot-2, 276-pounder in Tuesday night’s exhibition opener against the Boston Celtics at the University of Massachusetts.

It will be Embiid’s first game since March 1, 2014, when he was a Kansas freshman playing at Oklahoma State.

The Sixers selected him third overall in the 2014 draft, but he’s been sidelined for two seasons after two surgeries on his right foot.

“I just can’t wait,” Embiid said Monday. “That’s almost three years. That’s a long time. But I’ve been through a lot of stuff. To get here I worked my (butt) off.

“I’m happy I’m finally here.”

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Embiid had bone-graft surgery to repair the navicular bone in his right foot in August 2015. He already had missed what would have been his rookie season after undergoing surgery in June 2014 to repair a stress fracture in the same bone. A setback in his recovery led to the second operation.

Despite the layoff and the rust associated with it, Embiid is expected to start against the Celtics.

The Sixers haven’t disclosed how many minutes he’ll play but he will be restricted.

Coach Brett Brown said he wants to see a carryover from what Embiid has been doing at practice while trying to shake off rust.

“I want to watch him just run a floor, to watch him make multiple trips up a floor in a 76ers uniform, I don’t care if it’s preseason, regular season or whatever,” Brown said. “For me personally, that’s something that we’ve all waited for, and for a while.

“There’s just going to be a tremendous amount of pride with what he’s done.”

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Knowing that he was hours away from playing in an actual game, Embiid had a smile on his face and a bounce in his step at the team’s practice facility. He was fully engaged with what was going on and welcomed the coaching.

The Sixers believe he has a chance to become a wonderful teammate and an amazing leader.

That’s because Embiid hasn’t been afraid to speak his mind. And because of his towering presence, he has able to speak it with a little more sting.

Brown also believes the big man’s talent will make people listen to his words more than in general.

“I think there’s a leader emerging among what I’m seeing,” Brown said, “as well as what I think can be an exceptional player.”

But for now Embiid is looking forward to going up against players from another team. There’s a good chance that he’ll pair up against Celtics center Al Horford.

He’ll use the opportunity to learn how opposing players will try to guard him. Embiid also wants to figure out ways to defend them.

“So going into tomorrow, I just want to learn as much as I can,” he said.

“I know I’m going to be on a minutes restriction. But the little time I have on the court, I just want to learn everything I can.”


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