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Embiid to sit out front end of back-to-back vs. Cavs

Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

With the Philadelphia 76ers' tilt Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers representing the first game of a back-to-back, Sixers center Joel Embiid will sit out for rest.

Embiid is close to being 100 percent healthy after knee surgery in the spring, but still hasn't been cleared to play both ends of back-to-backs. The 23-year-old phenom is averaging 23.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and two blocks in his second season of NBA play.

Philadelphia will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, and while the Cavs represent a stiffer challenge (on top of being an intra-conference rival), they don't have much size in the middle right now. The Pelicans, conversely, employ DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, and the Sixers will need Embiid to handle at least one of those assignments.

In the meantime, they'll have newly added power forward Trevor Booker available to play against Cleveland.

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