WATCH: Joel Embiid talks knee injury and Tyrese Maxey following Sixers double OT loss to the Hawks

Joel Embiid finally suited up again on Sunday night, and while the Sixers lost a chaotic double-overtime game to the Hawks, the storyline was simple. The big fella is back on the floor after missing nine straight games, and the entire team instantly felt different because of it.

Embiid played 30 minutes, the most he has logged all season, and finished with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting. It was not a vintage performance, but even a rusty Embiid changes the geometry of the court. Tyrese Maxey is not being hunted on every possession, the offense breathes a little easier, and the Sixers actually look like a real team again.

Sixers fall in double OT thriller despite Embiid’s return, Maxey’s 44-point night

Maxey has been carrying the franchise for weeks. Opponents are circling his name on scouting reports in permanent red marker. He has been forced into playing heavy minutes and carrying a superstar workload. Embiid knows exactly what that feels like, because it has been his job for the better part of a decade.

After the game, Embiid finally addressed the constant noise about whether he wants to play, whether he cares enough, and whether he is committed to this team. He has heard the criticism. He just does not agree with any of it.

Joel Embiid on knee injury and Tyrese Maxey

After the game, Joel Embiid was asked about how his knee felt, about what was keeping him out of the lineup the past few weeks, and about having to take a cautious approach with his health.

Here's the full exchange. pic.twitter.com/e76l0UcaFv

— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) December 1, 2025

“If anybody thinks that I do not want to play every game, that is their problem,” Embiid said. “History has shown that I would do anything just to play one game of basketball. I do feel bad. I know the load Tyrese has to handle. I have been there. I know how it feels.”

This has always been Joel Embiid’s reality. He is one of the most dominant talents the league has ever seen, and he is one of the most injury-prone. Both things are true at the same time. There is not much he can do about that besides rehab, return, and keep trying.

“If something happened to me, what can I do,” Embiid added. “Just go out and rehab and come back as soon as possible. Tyrese is having an MVP-like season. I am extremely proud of him for what he has been able to accomplish.”

Joel Embiid wanted to keep playing on Sunday, but the team would not let him participate in the second overtime due to his minutes restriction. You could tell it bothered him.

“It is tough,” Embiid said. “You want to be out there. Especially because we lost. If we won, I would not have cared. But I felt like there is something I could have done just by being on the floor. It is tough, but you have to move forward.”

The Sixers are now 10-9. They survived a rough stretch without their MVP and finally look a little more whole with him back in the mix. Maxey continues to shine, Joel Embiid is ramping back up, and there is at least some stability returning to the roster.

The team will host the Wizards on Tuesday as Joel Embiid looks to continue building his minutes and rhythm. The drama of waiting for updates and watching him miss weeks at a time will never stop being exhausting. What matters most, though, is that he is moving toward being healthy when it counts.

That is not in November. It is in April.

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