Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid returns with a bang

Having not played since Jan. 27, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid announced his return to the court in emphatic fashion.

Appearing in his first game for nearly nine months, Joel Embiid took no time at all to make an immediate impression.

In just 11 first half minutes, Embiid registered 20 points, seven rebounds and an incredible 16 free throw attempts as the Philadelphia 76ers jumped out to 76-51 lead at the break on their way to an emphatic 133-114 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Sidelined since Jan. 27 with a season-ending knee injury that eventually required surgery, Embiid looked like he hadn’t missed a beat as he announced himself back on the big stage, albeit in a preseason setting.

With his unique combination of size and athleticism, Embiid simply looked like a man among boys. With the ball-handling skills of a guard, and the ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor, Embiid finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a block, while shooting 14-of-18 from the free throw line in just 14 minutes and 45 seconds of court time.

Coming just a couple of days after it was announced he had signed a five-year, $148 million contract extension, Embiid’s performance illustrated why he was offered such a lengthy and lucrative deal.

Having played just 31 games over his first three seasons in the league, it’s understandable why Embiid’s hefty contract would be met with a certain degree of skepticism. But his performance in only limited time against the Nets only further demonstrated the reasons the Sixers believe he is worth every penny.

Following the game, head coach Brett Brown was understandably delighted with what he saw:

"“He was dominant….To get 18 free throws in that little amount of time and impact the game in the way that he did…he was dominant tonight.“He has a very unique and versatile skill package….he can shoot a three, he can make free throws, he can post up, he can face up, you know it’s just a very potent offensive package that people have to game plan for, and we see the impact he makes on the defensive end….Something like tonight will remind us all that’s why he was paid what he was paid.”"

In addition to Embiid, forward Dario Saric impressed in posting 26 points, nine rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes of action. Playing in just his second game of the preseason, Saric converted on 10-of-14 overall from the floor, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

Point guard T.J. McConnell also provided a terrific spark in notching 10 points, seven assists and three steals in 20 minutes of play.

Back to the man of the moment, just the sheer presence of Embiid certainly made the game immeasurably easier for his Sixers teammates. The Process himself was happy with how things panned out too:

"“It felt great. Coming back out, I just want to go out and give the team some energy, and just learn how to play with each other. We kind of learned one or two things tonight, and we’re going to keep on getting better, but it felt great. I’m glad I’m back.”"

Next: 30 reasons to be excited for the 2017-18 NBA season

The Sixers have just one game remaining in the preseason, when they host to the Miami Heat on Friday night. Regardless of the outcome of that game, the return of a fully healthy Embiid will undoubtedly be the story of their preseason campaign.