Joel Embiid resurgence giving Sixers renewed hope: ‘It’s definitely refreshing’

Joel Embiid is starting to look like himself again, and the minutes load is a big part of that.

Per Tim Bontemps of ESPN, the 76ers center logged 46 minutes in Thursday’s overtime win over the Rockets, his highest regular-season total in more than three years. He made them count, finishing with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists as Philadelphia posted a plus-21 margin with him on the floor in a 128-122 win.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse called it a meaningful step forward, and the trend lines back that up. Knee issues have limited Embiid in recent seasons, and he did not look fully comfortable early this year or during his abbreviated 2024-25 run.

But over his last 15 games, he is averaging 28.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, a clear return toward his MVP-level production.

Paul George, who has battled injuries of his own, said it has been encouraging to see Embiid regain his rhythm, noting that the competitive edge and confidence are starting to reappear both in games and in practice.

“He’s starting to feel it, he’s getting better and that competitive juice and everything is starting to flow,” George said. “You see it even with him at practice, and so you can see he was coming back, he was starting to form back into the Joel Embiid that we all have seen him dominate in this league.

“It’s definitely refreshing just from a personal level, dealing with injuries and how that takes a toll on you. It’s just always great to see someone start to get back to themselves.”

The Sixers are still managing expectations, but this version of Embiid changes the ceiling of the team. If the health holds, Philadelphia suddenly looks far more dangerous heading into the second half of the season.