Joel Embiid returns to action for 76ers in preseason finale
Joel Embiid made his preseason debut, helping the 76ers defeat the Timberwolves 126-110.
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid made his debut in the Philadelphia 76ers’ preseason finale on Friday night, his first game in nearly eight months.
And he also had a triple-double.
Embiid—who only played 19 games last season due to injuries—played a key role in Philadelphia’s 126-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves with 14 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in 19 minutes. He also had three steals, and the 76ers outscored the Wolves by 12 points when Embiid was on the floor.
Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse had said before the game that Embiid would play “quite a bit less,” and he stuck to his plan. Embiid didn’t play in the fourth quarter.
The 76ers opened their regular season in Boston on Wednesday night.
Embiid didn’t take long to get going on Friday – he attempted a 3-pointer on Philadelphia’s very first possession, just seven seconds into the game, but missed. He played nearly six minutes on his first attempt early in the game, then played the first three minutes of the second quarter on his second attempt.
This was Embiid’s first game since February 22nd. He missed Philadelphia’s first nine games of the 2024-25 season, missed more than four consecutive games, and was sidelined for the final 26 games of the year, as the 76ers finished 24-58.
Embiid has been practicing lightly since the 76ers’ camp began, and the injury-prone All-Star center has said in recent weeks that he was “planned” to play after undergoing knee surgery in April.
Embiid, a two-time NBA scoring champion, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April. His injury-riddled season also included a sprained left foot and a sinus fracture. After averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, he was ruled out for the entire season in late February.
“I’ve had a lot of injuries. I’ve always told myself that you can’t give up,” Embiid said last month.