(AP)

The 76ers’ Michael Carter-Williams did not practice Wednesday while battling flu-like symptoms.

Carter-Williams made it to the Sixers’ practice facility, at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and was in the trainers’ room when the rookie was advised that he should head home instead of working out with the team.

Fatigue might be contributing to Carter-Williams’ rundown state. He spent last weekend in New Orleans, taking in and participating in All-Star Game-related activities, rather than resting like most of the league’s players. He also played 31 minutes in Tuesday’s blowout loss to Cleveland.

For no reason other than those, Sixers coach Brett Brown said, was Carter-Williams excused from practice.

“I think that there is not really a conspiracy theory out there,” Brown said. “I think he is tired. I think the league is guarding him well.”

Carter-Williams’ play has diminished of late. His assist-to-turnover ratio for February is in the red. He’s had 34 assists to 36 turnovers in seven games this month while shooting 36.1 percent, which is well under his season average.

However, he still leads all rookies in per-game averages for points, assists, rebounds and steals.

There was no reluctance on Brown’s part, the coach said, in playing Carter-Williams for such lengthy stretches of a lopsided game Tuesday. That includes the five and a half minutes he logged in the fourth quarter, when the Cavaliers had stretched their lead to as many as 34 points.

“I want him to be hardened up. I want him to get used to NBA life. I want him to get used to understanding you have to wake up and back it up again and again and again,” Brown said of Carter-Williams. “That’s the nature of a great NBA point guard. You have to lead by example. You have to navigate through this period. 

“For me to play him, knowing he had been away at All-Star weekend, was purposeful and calculated and I would do it again.”