Joel Embiid's Bold Statement Following Sixers Win vs Bulls

Joel Embiid appeared in his first game since November 20th.

Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) smiles during the second half of a basketball game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Sunday afternoon was a rare occasion for the Philadelphia 76ers, as all three of their All-Stars were in the lineup together for just the second time this season. The first instance came back on November 20th, but was short lived due to Paul George exiting the matchup early with a knee injury.

Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and PG would start and finish this game, and did a fine job leading the charge for the Sixers. The young guard recorded his first career triple-double, while Embiid got another 30-point outing under his belt.

At the start, it looked like it was going to be a rocky afternoon for the former MVP. He went scoreless in the first quarter, but managed to turn things around in a big way after that. Led by a 19-point barrage in the second quarter, Embiid went on to finish the game with 31 points and 12 rebounds.

rese to jo flow is back! 😁 pic.twitter.com/SxcqydueAX

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 8, 2024

After the game, Embiid shared his thoughts on the Sixers having all their top players in the lineup together. He cited health as a major factor, but feels the team is capable is going toe-to-toe with anyone in the league.

"It starts with health," Embiid told ESPN. "It felt good to have the guys on the floor. I believe if we're healthy, and we're on the floor, we have a chance against anybody, and I like what we have."

For being on the sidelines for weeks, the Sixers have to be feeling good about where Embiid was physically. Even with the rocky start, he was moving well on both ends of the floor and was able to quickly shake the rust off. This should bode well for the Sixers, as they'll need the star big man in action consistently if they're going to make up for thier bumpy start to the season.