Everyone was starting to worry about Joel Embiid, after he was sidelined for an entire month due to a left knee injury. 15-long games had past since he last stepped on an NBA court, and he finally did this past Tuesday evening with flying colors, posting a triple-double in a victory over the Mavericks.
Now that he’s back and recorded his first triple-double of the campaign, the Sixers center hopes his return isn’t just a one-day thing. The former league MVP, who wore a brace on his knee, had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Philadelphia’s tight 118-116 win.
Embiid’s expectations on the rest of the season are clear. “I wish I could play every game,” shared the big man, who 36 minutes and went 12-for-23 from the field and 4-for-9 from the free-throw line. “Whatever God decides from that point on, I can’t control it. Goal is to be available every single night.”
JOEL EMBIID WINS IT FOR THE 76ERS IN HIS FIRST GAME BACK IN OVER A MONTH 🔥 pic.twitter.com/48uY7xU18q
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 5, 2025
Despite his impressive comeback, coach Nick Nurse wants to take things easy, and announced postgame that Joel won’t be playing on Wednesday night against the Heat. The 30-year-old has admitted to feeling “extremely” frustrated this season, as he’s only been able to participate in 14 games so far.
The 76ers, who will certainly need their seven-time All-Star on the floor if they hope to push for the playoffs, are 8-6 with him and 20-29 overall.“Trying to find the positives, like support and family, but it’s tough,” he told the press after beating Dallas.
During the match, Joel seemed comfortable in his own skin and was especially impactful down the stretch. With 22 seconds to the final buzzer, the veteran center dropped a layup that put Philly up by a single point, and then grabbed a defensive rebound on the Mavericks’ next possession and secured the win.
“I just wanted to come out aggressive, assert myself inside and out,” said the No. 3 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, who entered the game averaging 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds. “We just got to get healthy and stay healthy.”
