Joel Embiid and Paul George are back, and the Philadelphia 76ers looked like a different team because of it.
Embiid returned from a 13-game absence due to a right oblique strain and scored 35 points on 12-of-17 shooting, adding six rebounds and seven assists. George made his return after serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy and posted 28 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals in a 157-137 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Embiid has been limited to just 33 games this season due to injuries. His latest setback occurred on February 26 during a win over Miami.
The win came at a critical time for Philadelphia.
The 76ers entered Wednesday at 39-33 and sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference, which would put them in the play-in tournament. They are 1.5 games behind the fifth-place Toronto Raptors.