Joel Embiid hopes coming back to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup isn’t a one-day thing.
The center proved he hasn’t slowed down, after returning from a left knee injury that kept him absent for a month. Embiid delivered his first triple-double of the term on Tuesday night in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Embiid, who was absent in the last 15 matches, had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Philadelphia’s 118-116 victory. He played for 36 minutes while wearing a leg brace and went 12-for-23 from the field and 4-for-9 from the free-throw line.
“I wish I could play every game,” Embiid said of his expectations for the rest of the season. “Whatever God decides from that point on, I can’t control it. Goal is to be available every single night.”
Nonetheless, coach Nick Nurse said after the match that Embiid would not compete on Wednesday night against Miami Heat.
The center played in just his 14th game of a season he said has been “extremely” frustrating. The 76ers are 8-6 with him and 20-29 overall. They’ll need him to play again to advance to the playoffs.
“Trying to find the positives, like support and family, but it’s tough,” he said.
In the match against the Mavericks, Embiid appeared to be normal. His layup with 22 seconds on the clock put Philadelphia up by a point. He stole the defensive rebound on Dallas’ next possession and then defended the last play of the meeting when the Mavericks turned it over.
“I just wanted to come out aggressive, assert myself inside and out,” Embiid said.
Embiid, who was drafted No. 3 overall by Philadelphia in 2014, entered the game averaging 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds. He still thinks the 76ers can turn things around.
“We just got to get healthy and stay healthy,” he said.
