Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid made his return to the lineup Sunday in a 108-100 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Embiid led all scorers with 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks on 13-of-28 shooting in 33 minutes of action. He erupted for 19 points in the second quarter after being held scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting in the opening frame.
Head coach Nick Nurse had previously said Embiid’s minutes would be limited. The 7-footer missed the last seven games because of swelling in his left knee.
He was also sidelined for the first nine games of the season while recovering from recurring swelling due to meniscus surgery last season and serving a suspension for pushing a media member.
This was the second time the Sixers’ new Big Three of Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey took the court together in the 2024-25 campaign. George missed 10 games with his own knee injury, and a hamstring strain kept Maxey out of six contests.
Maxey contributed his first career triple-double against the Bulls with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 14 assists, while George added 12 points. Zach Lavine led Chicago with 30 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Embiid was averaging 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and a block while shooting a career-worst 37.9% from the field through his first four games before Sunday’s contest.
The 76ers have now won four of their last five, sitting at 7-15, with their next game being Friday against the Indiana Pacers.
The Bulls have lost two straight after Sunday and are 10-15 on the year. They’ll attempt to get back in the win column Friday versus the Charlotte Hornets.
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