The Philadelphia 76ers blew a 20-point lead against the Golden State Warriors, but they avoided a full collapse and finished like a team learning how to manage Joel Embiid and his rhythm after injury. His brief night, his limited role, and his benching in the fourth all tied back to the same message: Joel Embiid's return is about control. And for Embiid, that control starts with honesty about how his body responds to real game pace.
He logged 25 minutes, scored 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, and grabbed six rebounds. He also sat down the stretch, sparking questions that he answered directly. The 76ers held on for a tense 99-98 win, even after the early surge evaporated.
Embiid explains the 76ers' plan
Joel Embiid said he and 76ers head coach Nick Nurse agreed ahead of time on how to optimize those minutes. “I just think after last game I sat too long, and I think that's happened in the past, earlier in the season,” he said. “Sitting too long and coming back in the fourth has been tough.”
“Until I'm able to bump that up or they'll allow me to play more, I think I just got to not sit too long,” the 76ers star continued. “Just play basketball. That’s also the best way to get in a rhythm. Being in and out, not playing back-to-backs, basically playing every two days, that’s how you get in rhythm.”
His conditioning remains the priority, and he made that clear. The 76ers held him out against the Wizards for injury management, a choice designed to avoid setbacks. The tight win over the Warriors followed, where the 76ers star pushed through his 25-minute limit and stayed committed to the approach. Now the Bucks await, offering the next test in Joel Embiid's ramp-up and gradual return after the fourth-quarter benching.
The 76ers might not have featured Embiid’s dominance last time, but it revealed something bigger — a calculated return shaped by patience and trust.
If this is the rhythm he and the 76ers need now, how dangerous will he look once those minutes stretch back to full power?
