The Philadelphia 76ers just saw Joel Embiid drop a 32-point triple-double to get an overtime win over the Houston Rockets in the former MVP’s best game of the season. He grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds and played his most minutes since 2022. Fans were terrified as Embiid looked like a shell of himself to begin this season, but he is finally rounding into form.
The 31-year-old big man deserves a ton of credit. He did not look good to begin this season. There was plenty of talk about him underperforming his max contract and never being the same player. Embiid didn’t run from the criticism. He faced it and has kept improving. He thinks the best is still yet to come, and fans are certainly seeing a difference.
Embiid’s energy and activity were different against the Rockets. The big man was hesitant to jump at the start of the season. His lengthy injury history and abysmal time staying on the floor likely played a factor. Now, he is trusting himself, and Sixers fans are wondering what could be.
Joel Embiid looks like a superstar again
It was easy to notice that Embiid looked different on Thursday night. He had some of his quickness and lateral movement back. The improvements resulted in multiple plays like this.
It’s a miracle that we are seeing Joel Embiid move like this again
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) January 23, 2026
You can love him or love to hate on him, but at least respect his resilience and desire to get back onto the court despite all of the injuries he’s had to overcome pic.twitter.com/BHtK2Mxqwj
76ers fans know Embiid is an absolute menace on both ends of the floor at his peak. He is an elite rebounder and shot blocker who can drop 30 points in his sleep. There is no stopping him. It is part of the reason why Philadelphia fans love the superstar and have been so frustrated by his injuries.
Embiid appears to have turned a corner. He has scored 30-plus in three straight games and is averaging 28.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 33.9 minutes per game since Christmas Day. He has missed three games over that stretch, but those are getting closer to the dominant numbers supporters expect from the MVP.
Sadly, there are no guarantees it will last. It took Embiid half of the regular season to shake off his latest injury and get back to form. Fans are hesitant to get their hopes up, but the Sixers could be special this season. Tyrese Maxey has transformed into a superstar and the face of the franchise. If Embiid can play anything like this, Philly has a legit shot to win the East. Keeping the big man healthy is more dream than reality at this point, but it only takes one time.
No team wants to face the 76ers right now. Joel Embiid was unstoppable against the Rockets and is starting to look like the peak version of himself. Maxey’s speed and change of pass unlocks another dimension they haven’t had next to Embiid. For however long this lasts, the Sixers are one of the best teams in the NBA. Fans hope he can finish the year healthy, but only time will tell.
The Philadelphia 76ers finally got Joel Embiid back. It took 43 regular-season games to see the unstoppable version fans know and love. Expect him to keep getting better as he is further removed from his latest surgery. If he stays healthy, watch out. It is a massive if, but Sixers fans should be hopeful. They are seeing something special now, even if it doesn’t last.