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PHILADELPHIA — In his long-awaited return, Joel Embiid shone brightly, achieving a remarkable performance with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. This impressive display helped the Philadelphia 76ers secure a narrow 118-116 win against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. Following the recent trade of their star player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks now find themselves struggling with a 0-2 record.
Embiid’s triple-double marks a significant milestone in a season marred by injuries, as he has only participated in 14 games so far. A left knee injury had kept the seven-time All-Star off the court for the previous 15 matchups, but he took to the floor wearing a substantial brace. Despite this, Embiid demonstrated flashes of his dominant self, particularly during the crucial moments of the contest. His layup with just 22 seconds left in the game allowed Philadelphia to surge ahead by a single point. He then secured a vital rebound on the Mavericks’ next possession and played pivotal defense during the game’s closing play, which ended up in a turnover for Dallas.
Tyrese Maxey also made headlines for the Sixers with an outstanding performance, contributing 33 points and 13 assists. For the Mavericks, Kyrie Irving led the scoring with 34 points, while Naji Marshall provided additional support with 19 points. Although newly acquired Anthony Davis was not on the court due to an abdominal injury, he was present on the sidelines following the trade that sent him to Dallas in exchange for Doncic. Max Christie, another new addition, chipped in with 15 points. Meanwhile, the Sixers were without Paul George, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to a finger injury.
Coach Nick Nurse confirmed that Embiid had no restrictions during this game, allowing him to play 36 minutes. He shot 12 for 23 from the field and 4 for 9 from the free-throw line. The game featured an intriguing moment when Embiid delivered a no-look bounce pass between his legs to Maxey, who subsequently drained a 3-pointer, extending the lead to 99-93 with 8:18 remaining.
The Sixers improved their overall record to 20-29 and are now 8-6 with Embiid in the lineup. As the teams look ahead, the Mavericks are set to face Boston on Thursday night, while the Sixers will host Miami on Wednesday night.
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