Joel Embiid returns for 76ers from latest knee injury with 18 points in season-high 30 minutes

PHILADELPHIA AP Joel Embiid scored points and played a season-high minutes for the ers on Sunday night against Atlanta after he missed the last nine games in large part because of a sore right knee Embiid had played in only six of the previous games and averaged points and rebounds for a Sixers company that has hovered around without him The ers lost to Atlanta - in double overtime and fell to - with Embiid It feels like the first match of the season Embiid declared I m just happy that I got a chance to play the competition of basketball Build on it You go from there the next event Whether the shots fall or not I don t really judge myself on if the shots fell or not It s about how I moved about laterally jumping and all that stuff Tonight was a good step toward that Embiid did not play at all in the second OT and his hampered mobility limited him to just four rebounds and one blocked shot Tyrese Maxey scored all eight points for the Sixers in the second OT and had overall The ers upgraded Embiid to questionable on the injury review on Sunday afternoon and the two-time NBA scoring champion was cleared to play following his pregame workout You can put your head down and whine about it or keep working hard to get back at it as close as feasible Embiid noted What can you do The only thing you can do is keep doing the right things focusing on the right things and go from there The ers played for the first time this season with their All-Star trio of Embiid oft-injured Paul George and Maxey together in the starting lineup George who s been sidelined this season in his return from offseason knee surgery scored points Embiid last played in the ers win over Toronto on Nov and was officially out the next night against Detroit because he wasn t cleared to play in back-to-backs in the wake of his recovery from April surgery on his left knee The NBA MVP the ers commented it was Embiid s right knee soreness that kept him from playing until Sunday I think they re just trying to get it to where he feels good enough to play coach Nick Nurse reported The ers could use Embiid heading into a stretch where they play four games in the next seven days that include Washington Golden State Milwaukee and the Lakers The -year-old Embiid was limited to games last season and had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April following an injury-plagued season that also included a sprained left foot and a sinus fracture He was ruled out for the season in late February after averaging points rebounds and assists Embiid has dealt with multiple injuries since even before he entered the NBA He suffered a stress fracture in his right foot before he was drafted out of Kansas that cost him two years From there it was a bone bruise here a meniscus tear there A busted orbital bone A sprained shoulder Tendinitis Torn ligaments Even Bell s palsy Even with all the injuries the ers still signed Embiid in to a three-year million extension with a contestant option for the - season that doesn t kick in until next season AP NBA https apnews com NBA Source