CHICAGO — In a thrilling encounter, Joel Embiid made a notable return with an impressive performance, contributing 31 points and grabbing 12 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers overcame the Chicago Bulls with a final score of 108-100 on Sunday.
Tyrese Maxey also shone brightly, achieving his first career triple-double with a remarkable stat line of 25 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds. Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 12 points each, helping the Sixers secure their fourth victory in five games. Chicago’s Zach LaVine led all scorers with 30 points, while Nikola Vucevic and Coby White chipped in with 13 points each, amid the Bulls suffering their second consecutive defeat.
In his return after a brief absence, Embiid, towering at 7 feet tall, commenced the game uncharacteristically slow, missing his first seven attempts. However, the two-time NBA scoring champion bounced back in the second quarter, successfully sinking eight of his next ten shots and notching 19 points in that period, enabling the 76ers to build a 62-50 lead by halftime. The star center had previously missed seven games due to knee injuries and a three-game suspension related to an incident with a sports columnist.
Philadelphia surged ahead to a commanding 19-point advantage in the third quarter, but the Bulls responded valiantly, executing a 13-1 run to close the gap. Chicago managed to cut the deficit to within four points on two occasions during the fourth quarter, indicating a fierce battle until the end.
Takeaway notes from the game reveal that Embiid, who wore a brace on his surgically repaired left knee, initially played cautiously. However, he soon found his rhythm in collaboration with Maxey and George, leading the charge as the team amassed 39 points in the second quarter. This marked a significant moment since the trio had only participated in one game together earlier in the season.
On the other hand, the Bulls displayed solid offensive prowess in the first quarter, posting a 33-23 lead and shooting 52.2% from the field. Unfortunately, they faced a setback in the second quarter, where they only managed to score 17 points at a shooting percentage of 25%, before regaining momentum late in the game.
A defining moment in the matchup occurred when the 76ers executed a 16-0 run in the second quarter, which established a lead they would hold for the remainder of the contest.
Another noteworthy statistic highlighted that Embiid logged 32 minutes and 53 seconds of playing time.
Looking ahead, the Philadelphia 76ers will face off against Indiana on Friday, while the Chicago Bulls will host the Charlotte Hornets the same day.
