Joel Embiid got the ball from Tyrese Maxey at the top of the key, dribbled once to his left, and pulled up over Deandre Ayton.
That jumper on the 76ers’ first possession Monday night against the Phoenix Suns signaled Embiid was officially back from a non-COVID-19 illness that kept him out of the previous three games and made his body feel “shut down.” The All-NBA center finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 100-88 victory that was the Sixers’ best of the early season. Embiid’s next task is to work his way back to his MVP-contender self, especially as the Sixers continue to navigate life on the court without All-Star point guard James Harden.
“It’s probably going to take a while, because it really hit me,” Embiid said of of the sickness that is ripping through the team’s players and staff. “But I’m excited for the challenge. We’re going to need every single [player] to be able to hold down the fort without James.”
