Joel Embiid made a spectacular comeback after being sidelined for two months due to injury, leading the 76ers to a surprising 109-105 win over the Thunder on Tuesday.
Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, made a surprising return to the 76ers‘ starting lineup at the Wells Fargo Center after recovering from a knee injury sustained in a game against Golden State on January 30th. In his absence, the 76ers had been struggling and slipped into the play-in positions in the Eastern Conference instead of securing automatic postseason spots. However, Joel Embiid’s comeback on Tuesday hinted at the team’s potential to shake things up in the playoffs, as they managed to defeat the Thunder, who were leading the Western Conference at the time.
Despite showing signs of exhaustion after playing nearly 30 minutes and contributing 24 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, Joel Embiid played a crucial role in leading the Sixers to victory. Although the Thunder had the lead for most of the game and seemed poised for a win with a 13-point advantage in the second half, the 76ers staged a remarkable comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring their opponents 36-25. Joel Embiid’s two free throws gave Philadelphia a narrow lead of 106-105 with 38 seconds left, and his steal and subsequent free throws extended their lead to 108-105. Tobias Harris then secured the win with a late free throw.
The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a surprising 117-113 loss to the Washington Wizards on the road. Corey Kispert was the standout player for Washington, scoring 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting to help the Wizards secure their 15th win of the season. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 35-point performance for Milwaukee, it wasn’t sufficient to avoid the defeat that prompted coach Doc Rivers to raise concerns about his team’s performance on the road.
The Los Angeles Lakers continued their winning on the road by beating the Toronto Raptors 128-111. LeBron James scored 23 points and Anthony Davis contributed 21 points in the victory.
In Denver, Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets to victory over the San Antonio Spurs with a 42-point performance, helping the NBA champions secure a 110-105 win and regain the top position in the Western Conference. Spurs newcomer Victor Wembanyama came close to achieving a unique quadruple-double, ending the game with 23 points, 15 rebounds, nine blocks, and eight assists.
The Golden State Warriors moved closer to securing their spot in the play-in tournament by defeating Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks 104-100. Despite Doncic’s impressive 20th triple-double of the season with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, the Warriors’ determined performance proved too much for the Mavericks. Andrew Wiggins was the top scorer for the Warriors with 23 points.
In Miami, Terry Rozier scored 34 points to lead the Heat to a 109-99 victory over the New York Knicks, maintaining their strong position in the playoff race. Miami, with a record of 42-33, is currently one spot behind Indiana in the Eastern Conference standings. Indiana holds the final automatic playoff spot with a record of 43-33.
