The Philadelphia 76ers are taking on the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday with the hopes of earning their second straight victory. During the contest, Joel Embiid turned heads after nailing LaMelo Ball in the face with his elbow, resulting in an injury scare for Ball.

While fighting for a rebound, Embiid's elbow seemingly connected with Ball's face. Officials blew the whistle immediately, and the 32-year-old center was given a technical foul on the play.

This is Joel Embiid's second contest back from a right oblique strain that sidelined him for 13 games. The 10-year veteran is seemingly ramping up for the playoffs, as Philadelphia has at least clinched a spot to participate in the play-in tournament. With Tyrese Maxey also returning from injury, the 76ers can focus on getting ready for the postseason.

When healthy, Embiid has been as good as ever. He entered Saturday's contest against the Hornets with 34 games under his belt. In those contests, he is averaging 26.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the floor and 33.3% from beyond the three-point line.

Eight games are remaining on the schedule (excluding Saturday's game vs. the Hornets) for the 76ers. Philly currently resides in the No. 7 seed, which puts the club in line to participate in the play-in tournament. However, Philadelphia is only 0.5 games behind the No. 6-seeded Atlanta Hawks.

So, the 76ers certainly have a real chance at making the playoffs outright and avoiding the play-in tournament altogether. It could be an uphill battle, though, as only three of the remaining eight games will be at home.