Joel Embiid missed nearly a month of play for the Philadelphia 76ers due to an oblique injury. But on Wednesday night, the former MVP came back and reminded the basketball world just how dominant he can still be.
In a 157-137 victory over the Chicago Bulls, Embiid scored a game-high 35 points on 12-for-17 shooting (including a perfect 3-for-3 from deep). He also recorded six rebounds, seven assists, and one block in just 28 minutes.
Embiid might not be the same guy he was even just three years ago, and there's a fair discussion to be had about what his future has in store. But for now, it's a welcoming sight to see the 32-year-old actually have a big-time game (even if it was against the Bulls), especially at a time when Philadelphia desperately needs it.
Joel Embiid is crucial to the 76ers' success
With only a couple of weeks left in the season, the 76ers are 40-33 and currently own the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. They are also just five games behind the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers and 11.5 games ahead of the No. 11 seed Milwaukee Bucks.
Barring some sort of collapse that even Nostradamus couldn't predict, the 76ers are going to make it back to the postseason this year. And if they can end the season on a high note, they may be able to climb the standings and guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs.
Regardless, 76ers fans should be happy to see the team in the spot they're in. Just a couple of weeks ago, they were sitting in the No. 9 spot and were neck-and-neck with a red-hot Charlotte Hornets team. And they were without Embiid, Paul George (who also just returned from his suspension), and Tyrese Maxey. Things could've gotten really bad for the team, but they stayed afloat, and now they're in line for a postseason appearance.
Chances are that Philadelphia isn't going to be championship-bound this year. The team hasn't even made a conference finals appearance in over two decades, and it's tough to imagine them beating a team like the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, or New York Knicks in a seven-game series.
But even so, they've proved in recent games that they're resilient and can surprise some people when they're counted out. If they want to build on that and possibly win it all this year, it'll have to be all hands on deck, and that especially includes Embiid.
Embiid is still a big part of Philadelphia's success. He is not the same defender he was once, but he is still a fantastic paint presence, largely because of his seven-foot, 280-pound build. Additionally, he has developed into a great playmaker, and as was made evident in Wednesday's game, he is still unstoppable when he's on.
The Kansas alum raises the 76ers' ceiling and still contributes to winning basketball in many ways. And if they want to bring another championship to Philadelphia, then they will need Embiid to be on his A-game, which, if his latest performance was any indication, is something the rest of the league shouldn't want to see.