Joel Embiid returned to Philadelphia 76ers‘ after missing a full game due to a sinus fracture. Wearing a protective mask, he scored 34 points in Friday’s 108-98 victory on the Charlotte Frelons. Embiid also had nine assists and five rebounds in 25 minutes.
Embiide suffered a sinus fracture last Friday against the Indiana Pacers when he was inadvertently struck in the face by Bénédict Mathurin. The Sixers said Monday that it be re-evaluated in a week.
But four days later, Embiid was back in the lineup. Due to a happy period in Philadelphia’s schedule, he only missed one game. Monday’s 121-108 victory against the Hornets – with the injury.
Embiid asserted himself early, scoring eight of Philadelphia’s first 14 points as the Sixers led 41-23 in the first quarter.
However, the Sixers went cold while the Hornets chipped away at the big deficit. With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Charlotte cut Philadelphia’s lead to 89-83. But three straight baskets from Embiid helped the Sixers regain their lead.
Friday’s contest was just the fourth in which Philly’s “Big Three” Embiid, Paul Georges And Tyrese Maxey played together. The Sixers went 1-2 in those previous three games.
Maxey scored 23 points with four rebounds and six assists. George only contributed five points, but totaled 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals in his 33 minutes. Kelly Oubre Jr. was Philadelphia’s third 20-point scorer with 22, shooting 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.
Vassilije Micić led the Hornets with 20 points, followed by 15 points and seven rebounds from Miles Bridges. Brandon Miller missed the game with a sprained left ankle suffered in Monday’s game against Philadelphia.
Next up for the 76ers is a Saturday night matchup with the NBA’s best. Cleveland Cavalierswho beat the NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks Friday, 124-101. (Damien Lillard did not play for the Bucks due to right calf strain.) Will Embiid play in the return game of the scheduled back-to-back games?