Building off on their impressive play as of late, the Philadelphia 76ers enjoyed the return of Joel Embiid in their recent matchup with the Chicago Bulls, the superstar’s successful comeback leading the way as they nabbed their fourth win in five games — easily their best stretch of the season.
The 76ers improved to 7-15, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference, somehow finding themselves only 1.5 games out of the last play-in spot. The team now seems poised to make a charge and finally start closing the deficit to an otherwise putrid win-loss record.
Embiid looked rusty right off the bat after missing the team’s previous seven games, but it did not take him long to regain his mojo and resume playing like the MVP-caliber player he is.
Joel Embiid asserts dominance in just one half in successful 76ers return
Thanks to another stoppage of play, Embiid clearly struggled to get it going on the road, failing to convert on his first seven shots with the Bulls getting all physical with him, but it was not for long. With Chicago leading by 10 after the opening frame, the superstar center made eight of his next 10 attempts, scoring his first 19 points in the second quarter.
The 76ers won the second frame by 22, entering the halftime break with a 12-point lead they managed to hold onto for the rest of the way despite multiple intermittent runs by the hosts. Their midgame surge with Embiid asserting his dominance in the paint gave fans a glimpse of their expected dynamic within the team this season.
Embiid’s return to dominance will be crucial for the 76ers moving forward as they aim to inch closer to the top. There is still a lot of basketball to be played, and as long as the 2023 Most Valuable Player turns in a cleaner bill of health, it is difficult to imagine them not flipping the page and getting back to the winner’s circle.
No matter how many role players start playing up to par for the 76ers, nothing can compare to Joel Embiid returning to peak performance. The franchise goes where their superstar takes them. In addition, it would be one of the most satisfying developments this seasons should he manage to flip the ill narratives constantly spun around him and somehow lead the team to a pretty respectable finish given the way they started.