Joel Embiid returned to the court on Tuesday, helping the Philadelphia 76ers secure a 118-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. After the game, he shared a lighthearted remark about his strong performance, joking that he played well because he feared getting traded if he didn’t.
Embiid’s playful comment followed the Mavericks’ surprising decision to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Mavs’ move was driven in part by concerns over Dončić’s conditioning moving forward.
Conditioning has also been a topic of discussion around Embiid throughout his career. Ahead of this season, he revealed that he had lost 25 to 30 pounds to stay in better shape for a potential playoff run.
Despite Embiid’s effort, the 76ers have faced struggles this season. Tuesday’s win marked just his 14th start, and with a 20-29 record, Philadelphia is currently out of both playoff and play-in contention in the Eastern Conference. However, they’re only one game behind the Chicago Bulls for the No. 10 seed.
In his first game back after a month-long absence, Embiid delivered one of his best performances of the season. He posted 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in 36 minutes, marking his first triple-double since January 16, 2024.
The Sixers have been much more successful with Embiid on the court, holding an 8-6 record in his 14 games this season, compared to a 12-23 record when he’s absent. Though they’re still in the mix for a play-in spot, trailing the Bulls by just one game, and only four games behind the Detroit Pistons for the sixth spot, the team remains vulnerable to injury setbacks. However, if Embiid stays healthy, there is hope for improvement as the season progresses.
