PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a comeback win against the Memphis Grizzlies despite Joel Embiid shooting 7-25 from the field. It sounds impossible but it's exactly how the Sixers ushered in their post-All-Star slate of games.

Not many players can will their teams to a win despite shooting 28 percent from the field. Embiid can. The Sixers won 110-105 thanks to a brilliant James Harden performance and some tenacious defense from the big man.

“Like I always say, defense is more important for me than offense,” Embiid said to reporters after the game. “Even tonight, could not make any shots, especially the ones that I usually make. But defensively I thought I had to be, you know, Bill Russell tonight to be able to kind of balance it up. And you know, I thought the team, we did a great job. So we just gotta keep going.”

Embiid certainly put on a defensive clinic against the Grizzlies, collecting six blocks and 19 rebounds. He commanded the entire court and was one of the Sixers' best players despite an atrocious shooting night. He scored 27 points thanks mostly to a 13-17 shooting clip from the foul line.

The Sixers as a team clamped down on defense as the game went on. The Grizzlies scored only one field goal outside of the restricted area in the fourth quarter. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. shot a combined 8-32 from the floor. After getting dusted in the first quarter, they tightened up big time.

Throughout the season, the Sixers have been vocal about wanting to be elite on defense. While it didn't exactly come in the fashion they would prefer, Joel Embiid and company proved that can be just that against one of the Western Conference's best teams.