Embiid returns in an extraordinary Sixers vs. Hawks with explosive ending

Joel Embiid returned after three weeks of absence on Sunday night, but his comeback wasn't enough in the Philadelphia 76ers' 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

It was the first game of the season where Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey played together. Maxey took on the offensive load with 44 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds in 52 minutes, but Jalen Johnson responded for Atlanta with 41 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder explained that the victory came through persistence rather than composure: "I think it was more about perseverance than poise. When we lacked poise or made mistakes, we were able to move forward and made the necessary plays when it mattered. We gave ourselves a chance to win, just like they did. We're happy it went our way."

Atlanta seemed to have the game under control with a six-point lead with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation time. Embiid brought the Sixers closer with a tip-in (114-110) with 22.1 seconds left. After a free throw by Johnson, Dominick Barlow scored a layup, and Maxey tied the score with a triple with 8.8 seconds left. Paul George, who scored 16 points, said, "It's not over until it's over. We just kept fighting."

In the first overtime, Johnson missed a layup that could have tied the game with 7.7 seconds left, and Maxey went to the line with the chance to put the Sixers four points ahead but missed both shots: "I thought they would go in, and then we would figure it out. But that's life," he commented. In the next play, Johnson attacked the rim and was stopped by a foul from Barlow with 0.3 seconds left. Nick Nurse called a timeout to ice the shooter and, if he made both shots, prepare for a possible game-winning play. However, the head official, James Capers, mistakenly thought Nurse had called for a challenge, leading to an improper review. "There was a misunderstanding among the officials," Capers explained. After adjusting the clock to 0.3 seconds, Johnson made both free throws and forced a second overtime.

Embiid's Knee

Embiid, who had missed nine games due to right knee issues, played 30 minutes—his heaviest workload of the season—and did not play in the second overtime. He finished with 18 points and later stated that his knee responded well: "The first half was pretty good. After nearly a month and only a couple of practice sessions, it's tough. But I'm happy I played, to build from here. I don't evaluate myself based on whether shots go in, but on how I moved laterally, the jumps, and all that. Today was a good step."

VJ Edgecombe returned after missing three games due to a calf issue, scored seven points in 21 minutes, and did not participate in any overtime. George did not play in the second overtime. Nurse said, "It was basically all they had," referring to the management of minutes. Andre Drummond played six minutes in the first half before being sidelined with a right knee problem, two days after a hyperextension against the Brooklyn Nets.

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