On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers saw the return of Joel Embiid from a four-game hiatus, and it was as if Embiid didn't miss any time. In just 31 minutes of play against the Chicago Bulls, Embiid dropped a huge triple-double, tallying 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Sixers to a 110-97 win at home.

As impressive as that victory may have been for the Sixers, those who have been keeping a close eye on the team should know that this win was coming. After all, this win is just a continuation of the Sixers' dominant trend whenever Embiid shares the court with 2023 free-agent addition Kelly Oubre Jr. from the opening tip.

According to StatMuse, the Sixers have now moved to 8-0 on the season whenever Joel Embiid and Oubre are both in the starting lineup. This just goes to show that there is natural synergy between the reigning MVP and Oubre's games, which head coach Nick Nurse has utilized to its full extent.

It's not like the Sixers faced some easy competition during those eight games. Sure, they defeated the Toronto Raptors twice and both the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons once in Embiid and Oubre starts. But they also took care of business against some of the league's toughest teams to beat in the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Phoenix Suns, and it's not like the current Bulls are a cakewalk.

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76ers Joel Embiid on the bench from game one or game two of playoff series vs. New York Knicks with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart smiling or laughing.

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76ers' Joel Embiid in front of a picture of Embiid at the postgame podium in sunglasses

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Tom Thibodeau in New York Knicks coaching uniform

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Joel Embiid's production is a near-given; he is the league's reigning MVP after all, and you can almost pencil him in for a 30-point double-double on a nightly basis. It's Kelly Oubre Jr.'s emergence into a quality starting wing that is a welcome development for a Sixers team that had to trade away one of its best players last season in James Harden.

Oubre's lack of efficiency and questionable winning impact made him available for cheap in free agency, and the Sixers took a chance on him despite his less-than-stellar reputation. As a result, he has become one of the league's biggest bargains, and Sixers fans will be joyous to see the 28-year old forward return to playing at a high level after his injury scare back in November.