The first game back for Joel Embiid probably couldn’t have gone any better in the eyes of the Philadelphia 76ers.
For the first time in weeks, the Sixers upgraded Joel Embiid on the injury report to questionable. The veteran center has been dealing with an oblique strain since the Sixers’ February 26 win over the Miami Heat.
After going through shootaround on the morning of March 25, the Sixers seemed optimistic about the way Embiid’s body reacted to recent workouts. As a result, he was cleared for action against the Chicago Bulls.
Right out of the gate, Embiid put together a dominant showing. He ended up needing just 28 minutes on the court to dominate the Bulls. It was a classic case of old-school load management for Embiid and the Sixers, who destroyed the struggling Bulls.
The star center shot 12-17 from the field, making all of his shots from beyond the arc. He added eight points from the charity stripe. Embiid finished the game with 35 points. He added seven assists, six rebounds, and one block to his line.
The Sixers defeated the Bulls 157-137.
NBA World Reacts To Joel Embiid’s Dominant Night vs Chicago Bulls
via Kyle Neubeck, PHLY: 35-6-7 for Embiid on 12/17 from the field through 3 quarters, and I assume his night is probably done with the Sixers up by a billion points. Pretty good at basketball, that guy.
Adam Aaronson, PhillyVoice: After three: Bulls 83, Sixers 122. This has turned into a bloodbath. Joel Embiid’s had arguably the best return performance of his career: 35 points on 17 shots in 28 minutes, plus seven assists and six rebounds. He’s been in total control.
Sixers on X: new favorite video just dropped.
new favorite video just dropped. pic.twitter.com/LUvC6QGhgS
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 26, 2026
Before the Sixers reached the All-Star break in February, Embiid missed two games in a row due to knee-related concerns. The setback seemed minor, but the Sixers were not going to take any chances.
When the Sixers returned to the court on February 19, Embiid was still out. As he ramped up his return, he started dealing with a shin issue. It took three games post-break before Embiid got back out on the court. After two appearances, he suffered an oblique strain, which led to a 13-game absence.
NBA Fans Erupt Over Embiid’s Night
“Not even surprised by this tbh, his that good when on the court,” said Bucketscentral1.
“Yeah this is the best player in the nba when he’s on the court,” lukatronic23 added.
“Does that say 35 pts in 28 mins???? Sheeeeeeeesh,” said TorsoJohn69.
“3 quarters btw. Could easily have a 50 point triple double if he stat padded like Jokic,” sippondat said.
“LIGHT WORK FOR HIM 🔥🔥,” sleeper76ers wrote.
“top 5 when healthy don’t even try debate it,” sevenexhoops said.
Leading up to Wednesday’s action against the Bulls, Embiid had 33 games under his belt.
The star center has been producing averages of 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. He is shooting 49.5% from the field and 31.8% from three.
With Wednesday’s win, the Sixers advance to 40-33 on the year. The next time they take the court will be on Saturday, March 28, when they pay a visit to the Charlotte Hornets.
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