"Basketball means a lot to me and I love playing," Embiid added. It's my best option. Family comes first too. It got me through it.”
Embiid finished the game on the scorer's table, exhausted. After falling hard late in the game, the 7-footer laid on his back for many moments before teammates pulled him up.
Sixers supporters anticipated the All-Star center's return. In his braids, Embiid drew a standing ovation when welcomed into the starting lineup. After starting the day out on the injury report, Embiid was upgraded to questionable by late afternoon.
In his first game in nine weeks, Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and over 21,000 Sixers fans hailed him and yelled “MVP! MVP!” throughout the game. Embiid scored 24 points, had seven assists, six rebounds, and sank four free throws in the final 40 seconds to help the 76ers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 109-105 on Tuesday.
With seven games left, the Sixers were ninth in the East on Tuesday and likely to make the play-ins. The 7th seed faces 8. The winner receives the No. 7 playoff seed. Loser gets second opportunity.
“I usually don’t worry about seeding,” Nurse remarked. There is some common sense that we need to get this club ready, whatever that means, to be the best in a postseason.
Two-time NBA scoring champion Embiid averages 35.3 points and 11.5 rebounds this season. On Jan. 22, he set a franchise-record 70 points and 18 rebounds in a 133-124 win over San Antonio.
Embiid missed too many games to win another MVP. He only wants to help the 76ers regain their early-season form as they seek their first NBA title since 1983. “I’ve learned a lot over the years,” Embiid added. “I must look after myself. I must stay healthy because I have a long career. Present and future.”
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