Embiid has triple-double, hopes return ‘is for good’

PHILADELPHIA — After putting up a 29-point triple-double in his first game in a month, 76ers star Joel Embiid admitted the ongoing issues with his knee and foot have been “extremely” frustrating, but he’s hoping they might finally be behind him.

“You just got to try to find the positives, but it’s tough,” Embiid said after a 118-116 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night. “So, trying to manage it, trying to find a solution, and it just keeps happening.

“So, hopefully this time around is for good. I feel pretty good, but it can be unpredictable. … I haven’t really had time to really recover, so until I get that time, it could be like that. So just got to keep going, do the right things, take care of yourself and hope for the best.”

Embiid’s return Tuesday came exactly one month after his last game, when he had 28 points in 29 minutes in a 29-point win in Brooklyn over the Nets on Jan. 4. He sat out 15 consecutive games because of a combination of a foot sprain and knee swelling.

Embiid had been gradually working toward a return over the past week, working out before each of the previous four 76ers home games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics.

But until Tuesday, he had never been listed as anything but out. Then, he was upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s game, and after going through a pregame walkthrough at the arena, he was officially listed as available to play.

“Obviously, played a lot of minutes, a triple-double, and I thought he made some key plays when we needed him to,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “Some of the stretches looked a little clunky, but I think we were able to get him out and get him back in the critical moments of the game and he made some good plays.”

Tuesday also marked the first time Embiid had played at Wells Fargo Center since being ejected in the second quarter of Philadelphia’s win over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 23, and it was only his fifth home game this season.

With Paul George still out because of an injury, Philadelphia has seen its star trio of Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey start and finish a game only seven times this season. In those games, the 76ers are 6-1, showing the possibilities of this group if it can get healthy.

“We’re right there,” said Embiid, who also had 11 rebounds and 10 assists. “We got to be healthy and consistent for a long period of time. We got to get in. I feel like as long as we stay healthy, I think we have the potential to still accomplish what our goal is. It’s tough with the position that we’re in, but I’ve always believed that we can win no matter what. Just got to get healthy and stay healthy, and that’s with all of us, be more consistent.

“But the one thing I’ll say is, I’m just proud of all those guys. They’ve been fighting for the last couple of weeks. A lot of us, mainly me, have been out. I don’t want to be in that situation. I wish I could be more available. I wish I could help, but sometimes my body just does not allow it to happen. But I’m doing my best.”

As tough as the season has been, with the 76ers now at 20-29 and one game back of the Chicago Bulls for the 10th and final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in picture, they also are only four losses back of the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot in the East.

“I think you just have to take it one game at a time,” Maxey said. “At the end of the day, if we can get to those situations, we know we can give ourselves a chance. We have the talent, we have the coaching, we have the discipline, and we have the experience to do that. Right now, it’s just about building, getting better every single day, and we’ll see where that takes us.”

It remains to be seen who will be on the court Wednesday, when the Miami Heat arrive for the second of a back-to-back set for both teams. Embiid will not play, the 76ers said, after his first action in a month, though Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry, George and Andre Drummond all potentially could return. Quentin Grimes, fresh off being acquired from the Mavericks on Tuesday afternoon, also could be available to play.

But all eyes will be focused on Embiid’s knee and how it responds after the rigors of a full game for the first time in several weeks.

“I think there’s no one to blame,” Embiid said of his ongoing issues this season. “I think we’re all doing the right things. Like I said, we can’t control some of those things. It’s no one’s fault. It doesn’t matter how well you take care of yourself. Sometimes you step on someone’s foot and you twist your ankle and you sprain your foot. Sometimes those things happen. So I don’t think there’s anyone to blame. I think we just got to keep going and use all the resources we have and do what we’re supposed to do.”