Joel Embiid played his first game in three weeks Sunday night, but the star center’s return wasn’t enough as the Philadelphia 76ers lost 142-134 to the Atlanta Hawks in a double-overtime marathon.
The game marked the first time this season that Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey played together. Maxey shouldered most of the offensive load, finishing with 44 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds across 52 grueling minutes. But Hawks forward Jalen Johnson answered with 41 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists to help Atlanta escape with the victory.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder credited perseverance over poise for the win. When his team made mistakes or lost composure, they moved forward and made enough plays when it counted. Both teams put themselves in position to win Atlanta just happened to be on the right side when the final buzzer sounded.
Wild finish forces overtime chaos
Atlanta appeared in control, leading by six points with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation. Embiid’s tip-in cut Philadelphia’s deficit to 114-110 with 22.1 seconds left. After Johnson hit one of two free throws, Dominick Barlow made a layup, and Maxey tied the score with a three-pointer with 8.8 seconds remaining.
George, who contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 28 minutes, emphasized that the 76ers stayed in the fight until the end. The game isn’t over until it’s actually over, and Philadelphia kept battling despite facing elimination multiple times.
After Johnson missed a tying layup with 7.7 seconds left in the first overtime, Maxey an 86.8 percent career free throw shooter went to the line for two attempts with a chance to give the 76ers a four-point lead with 4.6 seconds remaining. Instead, he missed both shots in a stunning turn of events.
Maxey admitted afterward that he thought he’d make the free throws and figure everything out from there. Sometimes life doesn’t cooperate with expectations.
Timeout confusion extends the drama
On the next possession, Johnson drove to the basket and was fouled by Barlow with 0.3 seconds remaining. 76ers coach Nick Nurse called timeout, intending to ice Johnson and potentially save his final timeout to draw up a game-winning play if Johnson made both free throws.
However, crew chief James Capers thought Nurse had challenged the call and conducted a review. Capers initially announced Philadelphia had lost the challenge and 1.1 seconds remained on the clock. But Nurse informed officials he hadn’t called for a challenge, forcing them to reset the clock to 0.3 seconds.
Capers explained afterward there was miscommunication amongst the officials. They thought Nurse wanted to challenge the play when he called timeout. Since Philadelphia didn’t have a legal challenge available, officials couldn’t rely on what the review showed. Prior to the confusion, the foul was committed with 0.3 seconds on the clock.
After the lengthy delay, Johnson calmly hit both free throws to send the game into a second overtime period.
Embiid’s limited minutes and evaluation
Embiid played a season-high 30 minutes but didn’t participate in the second overtime after missing the previous nine games with right knee soreness. He finished with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, showing rust from the extended absence.
The center said his knee felt good afterward. He thought the first half went pretty well, but acknowledged that going almost a month with only two court sessions makes playing difficult. The extended layoff limited his conditioning and rhythm.
Embiid expressed happiness about simply playing basketball again and having something to build on moving forward. He doesn’t judge himself based on whether shots fall tonight was about lateral movement, jumping ability, and overall knee function. On those metrics, the performance represented a good step forward.
Supporting cast deals with injury issues
VJ Edgecombe, who missed the previous three games because of a calf issue, scored seven points in 21 minutes and didn’t play in either overtime. George was done before the second overtime as well.
Nurse acknowledged that both players had given everything they could physically. The minutes restrictions reflect the reality of managing players returning from injuries or dealing with workload concerns.
Edgecombe said he felt good despite the recent absence. Andre Drummond played six first-half minutes before being shut down due to soreness in his right knee. On Friday night, he played 11 minutes before leaving with a hyperextended knee against Brooklyn.
Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis sat out due to illness. Porzingis continues dealing with aftereffects from health issues he suffered toward the end of last season with Boston and is unlikely to play Monday at Detroit.
First game together produces mixed results
The historic first appearance of Embiid, George, and Maxey together finally occurred, but the result disappointed Philadelphia fans hoping the trio would deliver an immediate victory. Chemistry takes time to develop, especially when players are managing injuries and limited minutes.
Maxey’s 44-point performance demonstrated his ability to carry the offensive load when needed. His 52 minutes showed incredible endurance, though the missed free throws late in the first overtime will haunt him temporarily.
Johnson’s matching offensive explosion highlighted Atlanta’s resilience and balanced attack. The Hawks survived multiple potential knockout moments because different players stepped up when needed most.
Moving forward with cautious optimism
Philadelphia finally has its big three available, but health concerns remain paramount. Embiid’s 30-minute limit, George’s 28-minute restriction, and various injuries to supporting players illustrate the fragility of the roster’s health.
The double-overtime loss stings, particularly given how close Philadelphia came to winning in regulation and again in the first overtime. But getting Embiid back on the court and building chemistry with George and Maxey represents progress regardless of the final score.
The 76ers need repetitions with their core trio to develop timing, understand tendencies, and maximize their collective talent. Sunday provided the first step in that process an encouraging performance undermined by a few crucial mistakes and extraordinary opponent execution.
Atlanta leaves Philadelphia with a hard-fought victory earned through perseverance and clutch free throw shooting. The 76ers leave with valuable experience playing their stars together and hope that Embiid’s knee responded well to extended minutes.