For the first time in nearly eight months, Joel Embiid stepped back onto the court for the Philadelphia 76ers and made it look like he’d never left.
The reigning MVP, sidelined since February after knee surgery, played just under 19 minutes in the team’s 126-110 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. It wasn’t the opponent that mattered, though. It was the energy. Embiid’s presence changed everything, the flow, the spacing, the confidence. In limited time, he put up 14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals on 50% shooting, and the Sixers were +12 with him on the floor.
“I’m just happy to touch basketball again,”Embiid said afterward. “That’s really all I was thinking about tonight.”
A comeback that felt bigger than the box score
Tyrese Maxey, who dropped 27 points in 30 minutes, captured the vibe best: “The biggest thing I felt was just joy – how happy he was to be out there.” Coach Nick Nurse echoed that sentiment, praising how fluid and unburdened Embiid looked without the heavy brace that limited him last season.
What made the night more impressive was how natural Embiid’s rhythm seemed. His passes were crisp, his rotations sharp, and his outside shot confident. More than stats, it was his control of the game that stood out – dictating pace, commanding the paint, and setting the tone for everyone around him.
Philly’s future suddenly looks brighter
The Sixers also got a glimpse of what’s coming next. Rookie VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in June’s draft, exploded for 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals, living up to the hype and confirming Nurse’s plan to start him opening night. Quentin Grimes added 22 points off the bench in his first preseason action.
Paul George, still rehabbing from knee surgery, didn’t suit up, but that hardly mattered. The story of the night was Embiid’s comeback and the ripple it sent through the locker room.
Philadelphia’s superstar didn’t need a full game to make a statement. He just needed 19 minutes and a reminder that when he’s on the floor, the Sixers are never out of it.
Read the full article here
