Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup after missing the team’s last seven games and made an immediate impact. He scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 108-100 win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon.
Before Sunday, Embiid last played for the Sixers on Nov. 20. In the 117-111 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the center scored 35 points with 11 rebounds in 33 minutes. Philadelphia went 4-3 during Embiid’s last absence due to left knee management and personal reasons.
Embiid was listed as questionable ahead of Sunday’s game. He was not considered ready to play until after finishing pregame warmups. Perhaps shaking off some rust, Embiid missed his first six shots from the floor and looked sluggish. The Bulls held a 33-23 lead after the first 12 minutes.
Apparently, Embiid needed to warm up and adjust. He scored 19 points in the second quarter, shooting 7 of 11 and grabbing six rebounds. Perhaps most importantly, the center’s presence in the paint provided much-needed interior defense. He finished the day with two blocks.
Embiid’s paint defense today was fantastic.
It’s hard to win a game where the other team makes 10 more threes than you, but the Sixers dominated inside the arc, in large part thanks to Joel. pic.twitter.com/1486T3Jd6Z
– Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) December 8, 2024
In five games this season, Embiid is averaging 22 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. Sunday was a rare game in which Philadelphia’s “Big Three” of Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George played together at this early stage of the 2024-25 season.
Maxey had a triple-double for the Sixers, scoring 25 points with 11 rebounds and 14 assists. George and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 12 points each. Oubre also grabbed 10 rebounds, while George grabbed seven. Jared McCain contributed 11 points, four assists and three steals off the bench.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 30 points, hitting 6 of 14 on three-pointers. Nikola Vučević and Coby White each scored 13 points, while Ayo Dosunmu added 10. Josh Giddey had 10 assists for Chicago, which fell to 10-15 with the loss.
The 76ers won their second straight game, giving them wins in four of their last five games. That is slowly taking them out of the basement of the Eastern Conference. At 7-15, Philadelphia is currently ranked 12th in the East. The Sixers have four days off to manage their injuries. Their next game won’t be until Friday, when they host the Indiana Pacers (10-14).