AP (Philadelphia) — Joel Embiid believes his comeback to the starting lineup won’t be a one-day occurrence.
With his first triple-double of the season Tuesday night in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks, the injury-plagued center for the Philadelphia 76ers showed no signs of rusting after missing a month due to a left knee ailment.
The Sixers won 118-116 thanks to 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists from Embiid, who had missed the previous 15 games. The seven-time All-Star played 36 minutes with a big brace on his knee, going 4-for-9 from the free-throw line and 12-for-23 from the field.
Regarding his goals for the remainder of the season, Embiid remarked, “I wish I could play every game.” “I have no control over what God decides after that. The objective is to be accessible each and every evening.
However, following the game, coach Nick Nurse announced that Embiid would not play against Miami on Wednesday.
Embiid, 30, played in just his fourteenth game of what he described as a “very” unpleasant season. In order to challenge for the playoffs, the Sixers, who are 20-29 overall and 8-6 with him, will need him on the court.
Embiid remarked: “Looking for the good things, like family and support, but it’s difficult,”
Particularly in the closing minutes, Embiid appeared to be his typical self. With 22 seconds remaining, he made a layup to give Philadelphia a point. He defended the game’s last play when Dallas turned it over after grabbing the defensive rebound on the Mavericks’ subsequent possession.
Embiid stated, “I just wanted to come out aggressive, assert myself inside and out.”
Prior to the game, Embiid averaged 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds. He was selected by Philadelphia with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He continues to believe that the 76ers can make a comeback.
He stated, “We simply need to get healthy and stay healthy.”
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