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76ers' Joel Embiid Left off 1 Media Ballot for 2021 NBA All-Star Game Voting
February 19, 2021
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was a unanimous All-Star selection on media ballots, but he was very nearly not the only one.
Philadelphia 76ers big Joel Embiid got the vote of 99 of 100 media members to be named a starter in the East's frontcourt.
Kevin Durant received 97 media votes.
Other media members' votes went to Indiana's Domantis Sabonis (2), Boston's Jayson Tatum (1) and the Knicks' Julius Randle (1).
This year will mark Embiid's fourth consecutive season as an All-Star game starter. He will represent the Eastern Conference alongside Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal and Kyrie Irving against a Western Conference group that consists of LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard, Steph Curry and Luka Doncic, with reserves for both groups to be named next week.
Embiid was noncommittal about playing in this year's All-Star game, slated for March 7 in Atlanta, attributing his wariness to the back tightness that has troubled him throughout the season.
"I missed a couple of games through that tightness from the fall against the Lakers," he said, per Kyle Neubeck of the PhillyVoice. "So, we'll see how I feel, if it's an issue or I'm not one-hundred percent. I'm focused on winning a championship and getting to the playoffs healthy. That's my main focus."
Through 23 games for Philadelphia, which leads the Eastern Conference at 19-10, Embiid has recorded 29.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
