Embiid returns to court after 8-month absence

PHILADELPHIA -- For the first time in nearly eight months, Joel Embiid played in a basketball game for the Philadelphia 76ers.

And although it was a preseason game against the reserves of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Embiid and the 76ers came away from the 126-110 win at Xfinity Mobile Arena feeling good about where their superstar is at heading into the 2025-26 regular season.

"I think the biggest thing that I felt was just joy, and just how happy he was to be out there and how happy I was for him to be out there," said Tyrese Maxey, who had 27 points in 30 minutes in Philadelphia's final tuneup before the regular season begins next week.

"The first thing I asked him before we went out there, I was like, 'Hey, are you excited?' He was like, 'Man, I'm so excited just to be out there to play.' So, I'm happy for him."

Embiid hadn't played in a game for the 76ers since Feb. 22 against the Brooklyn Nets before having arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee a few weeks later.

But after practicing for the past several weeks -- and playing in Sunday's open to the public intrasquad scrimmage -- Embiid took the floor Friday night and had an encouraging performance, finishing with 18:35 of game time with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals and 4 turnovers on 5-for-10 shooting, including 2-for-4 from 3-point range, as well as hitting both of his free throws.

"I don't want to really think about the past," Embiid said. "I'm just in a good space mentally, physically ... I'm just happy to touch basketball and be able to play basketball and do what I love.

"When you don't get [to do] that, it's tough, but that's what I'm most happy about. So today, tonight, that's all I kept thinking about. I'm on the court playing basketball, doing some good things, helping us win and yeah, that's really what I was focused on."

Embiid, who looks leaner this season, seemed to have no issues moving around on the court, and appeared to have shed the bulky brace he was using - and frustrated by - last season.

By the time it was over, he had passed his latest test in his hopes to get back to where he was before the knee issues sent his career off-track.

"Pretty good," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said, when asked for his assessment of Embiid's performance. "I thought he moved good, played good, shot it good, passed it good ... I didn't see too many negatives out there."

Embiid only played in 19 games last season. And while he averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season in that limited action for Philadelphia, he never looked like the player who was going back-and-forth with Nikola Jokic for Most Valuable Player awards for the prior three seasons.

He looked much more like himself Friday night, however, and remains on track - barring any setbacks from playing against Minnesota - to participate in next week's season opener in Boston.

"I mean, I won't say I feel like I was 18 years old again," Embiid said with a smile, when asked if he felt like the last few weeks have gone as well as could be expected in his ramp up to the season starting. "That's never going to happen. But I'm just taking it day by day. Like I said, just learning. Some days are going to be good, some days I'm going to be a little bit tight, so learn from it and adjust and keep doing the right things."

Even beyond Embiid, the 76ers had a few things to be excited about Friday night. VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick in June's NBA Draft, had 26 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals in 34 minutes, creating several highlight plays with his athleticism and reaffirming Nurse's pregame statement that Edgecombe is ticketed for a spot in the starting five next week.

Quentin Grimes, meanwhile, made his preseason debut after signing the one-year $8.7 million qualifying offer to end his restricted free agency a couple weeks ago, and finished with 22 points, 5 assists and 3 steals in 26 minutes off the bench.

One player who didn't return Friday, and doesn't seem on track to play opening night, is Paul George, who is still working his way back from knee surgery back in July. While George has continued to ramp up his activity level, including participating in practices this week, he didn't play Friday and still has a few steps to clear to get back in game action.