Turns out the Sixers are learning this lesson the hard way.

A big reason the team thought they could manage an 82-game season without Joel Embiid always being available was the reacquisition of Andre Drummond. They thought they’d be getting a starter-level player for that backup role, under the impression that plenty of starts comes with the job too.

Drummond has been just as banged up as anybody else on the team. He’s only appeared in 36 of 60 possible games so far, the main culprit being an injury to his left big toe he suffered back on Dec. 23, a game against the San Antonio Spurs in which he got ejected and then un-ejected moments later.

Despite his best attempts to power through the injury, he was only able to play in six games between the injury and the All-Star break. That included a blowout loss in Denver where Nick Nurse said he suffered a setback.

When he was able to take the court, it was obvious how hampered he was, even compared to his disappointing start to the season. Over the seven games including the Spurs win, he averaged 5.7 points on 52.9% shooting and more importantly, only 5.1 rebounds per game.

The break seemed be the rest he needed. In the six games since, he’s averaging 11 points per game on 58.5% shooting while pulling down 9.8 rebounds per game. This was capped off with his best performance of the season when he put up 25 and 18 in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s been more involved catching lobs, and just generally looks better getting up and down the court.

After the game, he remarked on the difference he’s felt since feeling more healthy.

“It’s night and day. I didn’t realize how much you needed a big toe to do what I do,” he said. “Just the athleticism part of the game was a big part that I missed during that period of time when I was injured. So being able to feel like myself and play like myself, can only go up from here.”

Drummond is far from the only Sixer who’s had his season compromised by an injured digit. Both Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have been trying to adjust to playing through finger injuries.

George has only averaged 14.4 points per game since returning from a torn tendon in his pinky in January. Maxey, who’s had a sprained right hand, scored just five points in his last two games, and has only made one of his last 19 three-pointers before suffering a back contusion that took him out of the Blazers game.

The national broadcast on ABC said that Maxey had been working with Nurse to learn how to shoot with three fingers instead of five.

Not only are they playing through them, but they don’t seem to be getting any better. Nurse admitted as much before saying that Maxey had already ditched the tape he was using on his right hand.

With the organization still trying their hardest to reach the 10-seed for the final Play-In spot, it at least explains why so many Sixers are pushing through injuries. Drummond is certainly an example though — if the injury is impacting you that much, it’s probably best just to rest and heal up.