Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) celebrates with fans as he walks off the court after his team defeated the Chicago Bulls in an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
CHICAGO — Two-time NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers’ starting lineup against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
After missing his first seven shots and ambling deliberately in his left knee brace in the first quarter, the 2023 MVP went on a tear to propel the Sixers to a 108-100 win over the Chicago Bulls. Embiid connected on eight of his next 10 shots in the second quarter for his first 19 points of the game, which lifted Philadelphia to a 62-50 halftime lead.
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The Sixers stretched it to 19 before holding on for their fourth win in five games, and Embiid finished with 31.
READ: NBA: No plans to shut down Joel Embiid, says 76ers coach
“I just got lucky and started making shots,” Embiid deadpanned when he talked to reporters almost 90 minutes after the game. “We just missed shots and we adjusted and we got them in.”
Embiid, a seven-time All-Star, added 12 rebounds in his fifth game this season. The 7-foot center had missed the previous seven games because of knee injuries and a three-game suspension for pushing a sports columnist.
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Embiid finished slightly above his career average of nearly 27.8 points per game in 33 minutes. The Sixers don’t play again until Friday thanks to the NBA Cup, so coach Nick Nurse planned to give his star ample work Sunday with a break and recovery time ahead.
“All of a sudden he certainly caught fire there with a little bit of variety,” Nurse said. “I know a lot of it seemed like foul-line jumpers, which it was. He snuck in a roll or two and a couple of post-ups. It gave us a lot of confidence.”
The Sixers trailed 33-23 after the first quarter. Behind Embiid and a 16-0 run in the second, they took the lead for good. Chicago got within four points twice in the fourth, but Philadelphia closed it out.
“We guarded really well and we rebounded extremely well at both ends,” Nurse said.
READ: NBA: Injured Embiid, Paul George watch from 76ers bench again
Tyrese Maxey got his first career triple-double as part of the winning formula and clicked with Embiid. Maxey finished with 25 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.
“It was great, that’s who he is,” Maxey said of Embiid. “After he got in the game it’s easy, it was easier, man. There was a lot more space out there.”
The All-Star trio of Embiid, Maxey and Paul George (12 points) played together for only the second game this season.
“Obviously we’ve got the connection,” Embiid said. “We know when things are not going right, what we need to do. Now it’s up to us to make the shots and the plays.
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“After that first quarter, it just felt like we needed to take more of an ownership as far as getting us back in the game. They’re great players.”
