In a season that has felt like a constant battle between frustration, injuries, and uncertainty, Joel Embiid dropped a season-high 39 points in the Sixers’ 115-105 win over the Pacers, doing it without Tyrese Maxey in the lineup.
It was a throwback performance that felt familiar and almost emotional, not just because of the stat line, but because of how he looked doing it.
Joel Embiid: 39 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
I gotta say, seeing Joel Embiid back out there playing like the best basketball player in the world was incredible. This guy has been through everything over the last two years.
The injuries, the questions, the constant discourse about whether he can ever be “that guy” again. To see him ball out and, more importantly, look genuinely happy doing it was delightful.
Joel Embiid was aggressive early, decisive in the mid-post, and confident pulling up from the elbow. The hang-dribble pull-up jumper was back. The pump fakes were working. The free throws piled up.
By the time Joel Embiid started hearing MVP chants again, you could feel the building shift. It reminded everyone just how dominant he was not that long ago, when nights like this were routine and not rare.
Joel Embiid finished with 39 points, nine rebounds, and three assists on 12-of-23 shooting, playing a season-high 32 minutes. It was his best performance since dropping 50 on the Knicks in the 2024 playoffs and easily his most complete game of the current season.
Do NOT let Joel Embiid get hot.
Much like myself, there is nothing more dangerous than a man with absolutely nothing to lose. Joel Embiid is that guy right now. He’s playing without expectations, without the MVP chatter, without the pressure of carrying the league on his back every night.
If the Sixers can get even three to four months of healthy basketball out of the big fella in 2026, this team is going to be a problem, in the best way possible.
With Maxey sidelined, the Sixers needed others to step up, and VJ Edgecombe answered the call again. The rookie played with confidence from the jump, attacking in transition, knocking down a pull-up three, and finishing strong at the rim.
He ended the night with 22 points, five assists, and four rebounds on just 10 shots, continuing to look far more comfortable than most rookies his age.
VJ Edgecombe
To date, I have never said a nice thing about Paul George on The Liberty Line but now we’re finally going to break that because he continues to look better and better every time he takes the court.
Paul George also took advantage of the increased responsibility, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists while playing his usual steady, impactful defense. His scoring helped stabilize the offense when Indiana made their inevitable runs, and his presence continues to matter even when he is not filling up the box score.
The Paul George We Were Promised…
The win was not perfect. The Sixers still had another uneven third quarter and moments where the offense stalled. But down the stretch, they defended, avoided dumb mistakes, and leaned on their stars. That was enough.
Nobody is declaring Joel Embiid “back” off one game. The knee is still a concern and consistency will always be the question.
Nights like this matter. Nights like this remind you that behind all the noise, all the injuries, and all the doubt, there is still one of the most skilled big men the sport has ever seen. When he’s smiling, cooking, and playing free, Joel Embiid is a problem.
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