Joel Embiid Triple-Double Mavs

Joel Embiid with a triple-double in his return, Maxey drops 33 on the Mavs in 118-116 win

Joel Embiid made his long-awaited return, and while it wasn’t always pretty, it was exactly what the Sixers needed. Embiid dropped a 29-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, and Tyrese Maxey continued his scorching run with 33 points and 13 assists, as the Sixers escaped with a 118-116 win over the Mavericks.

It wasn’t smooth sailing, but my god is it a thing of beauty to see Embiid and Maxey back on the court together, winning basketball games.

  • Joel Embiid: 29 PTS | 11 REB | 10 AST
  • Tyrese Maxey: 33 PTS | 13 AST | 2 STL

Joel Embiid Shows Minimal Rust, Delivers Massive Impact

After a month away from the court, the biggest question was how Joel Embiid would look in his return to action and as it turned out, he looked pretty damn good.

Obviously there were going to be some errant passes and moments of indecisiveness, but overall, we witnessed a decisive Joel Embiid—one who moved the ball, made quick reads, and trusted his teammates in ways Sixers fans have been begging for.

  • Joel Embiid’s passing was on point and he was able to pick apart the Mavs’ soft double-teams
  • Joel Embiid bullied Daniel Gafford (again), mixing in midrange jumpers, spin moves, and sheer brute force in the paint.
  • Rebounding looked fresh, attacking the offensive glass and using his size to clean up misses.

If anything, Embiid might have been too unselfish at times, passing up open midrange looks to find teammates. But that’s a good problem to have.

Joel Embiid: 29 PTS | 11 REB | 10 AST

Tyrese Maxey is a Certified Star in the NBA

If anyone was worried that Embiid’s return might cool off Maxey’s absolute heater, that concern lasted about five minutes. Maxey picked his spots early, playing setup man in the first quarter, but once Embiid hit the bench it turned into “hunting season” yet again for Tyrese.

Maxey hunted mismatches, slashed to the rim, and absolutely torched Dallas from beyond the arc, showing fans what many had forgotten- good things happen with Embiid and Maxey on the court together.

When the game got tight, the Embiid-Maxey duo came alive. A perfectly executed between-the-legs dribble handoff from Joel Embiid set up a Maxey three that nearly blew the roof off Wells Fargo Center. Again, this partnership is scary when both are rolling and I feel like that needs to be said over and over again to remind Sixers fans how good this team could be when healthy.

Tyrese Maxey: All gas, no brakes. 🚀

New Role, Same Result for Guerschon Yabusele

Guerschon Yabusele got the start at power forward, and he delivered. His 19 points weren’t just the result of standing in the corner waiting for catch-and-shoot opportunities—he was actively involved in the offense:

  • Three easy layups on high-low feeds from Embiid.
  • Solid defensive rebounding, an area where he’s struggled all year.
  • Physical play in the paint, sealing off defenders and making himself an easy target.

It’s only one game, but if Yabusele can provide consistent minutes as a stretch-four, it adds a new dimension to the Sixers’ lineup.

Shoutout to Slick Ricky Council IV

I don’t know what got into Ricky Council IV, but whatever it is, keep it coming. Since returning from the G-League, he’s gone from wild-card athlete to legitimate role player.

✅ Good passing
✅ Smart shot selection
✅ Impactful defense

Nick Nurse needs his team locked in defensively…

This game shouldn’t have been this close. A shorthanded Mavericks team (without Luka Doncic) scored at will, and transition defense was a complete disaster.

  • Cross-matching was a mess. Maxey and Reggie Jackson botched assignments repeatedly, leading to wide-open threes for Dallas.
  • Halfcourt defense lacked communication. Embiid was out of rhythm in drop coverage, and the Sixers gave up easy drives to the rim all night.
  • Dante Exum? Really? He torched Philly’s defense early, getting to the rim way too easily.

Some of this can be chalked up to Embiid’s return, but let’s be real—this defense has been shaky all year, and it nearly cost them again.

Game Notes:

🔹 Embiid‘s presence alone is a massive difference.
🔹 Maxey is HIM.
🔹 Yabusele is worth a real look as a starting power forward.
🔹 The defense needs work.

A win is a win. The Sixers have some tightening up to do before even talking about the playoffs. Embiid playing basketball makes the world a better place.

Go Birds. Take us home Joel…

All Things Philadelphia 76ers Right Here >>

Join The Chase

unfiltered, opinionated, and certainly do not care if you like it or not.

TwitterFacebookInstagram

Read More

Comments (0)

Leave a Reply

Back To Top

Discover more from The Liberty Line

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading