PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers received good news on Wednesday when they learned Joel Embiid would return to the lineup against the Dallas Mavericks after he missed a game due to calf tightness.
The big fella wasn’t dominant, but he had 25 points and nine rebounds in a 116-108 win over the Mavericks at home. Embiid helped Philadelphia rally from an early 12-point deficit to end a three-game losing skid.
Embiid first felt the injury in a March 22 win over the Chicago Bulls on the road. He didn’t play in the second half of that one, but he did play against the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns to continue the road trip. He missed Monday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets, which sparked criticisms considering the matchup with Nikola Jokic amid the MVP race.
After the win over the Mavs, Embiid discussed his injury and how his health is feeling.
“Good enough,” Embiid stated when asked about his calf. “Obviously, I didn’t play my best game tonight, but I’m glad we got the win. So I’m gonna keep building and making sure everything is right for what matters.”
The Sixers are dealing with an injury to James Harden as well. The Beard has been dealing with left Achilles soreness, which they will have to manage.
“They looked good, not great,” said coach Doc Rivers. “That’s one game. Especially, James, I thought as the game went on, he got better.”
At this point, it’s obvious the Sixers will prioritize health. There are six games left, so it will be interesting to see how they handle both Embiid and Harden heading into the playoffs.
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