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3 observations after Embiid posts triple-double in return, Sixers scrape by Mavs

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Joel Embiid returned to the Sixers' lineup and posted his eighth career regular-season triple-double in a very tight victory Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers' superstar big man recorded 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 118-116 win at Wells Fargo Center.

Tyrese Maxey had 33 points and 13 assists.

Dallas star Kyrie Irving tallied 34 points and nine assists.

The Sixers’ list of injured players continued to include Paul George, who missed a fifth consecutive game with a left pinkie finger extensor tendon strain. 

Anthony Davis (abdominal muscle strain) was out for the undermanned Mavs.

Both Caleb Martin and KJ Martin were in Sixers headlines Tuesday. After a trade earlier in the day sending Caleb Martin to Dallas and Quentin Grimes to the Sixers, neither player was available to play yet for his next team. Grimes, who will wear No. 25, has a locker in Martin’s former spot between rookies Justin Edwards and Adem Bona. 

A KJ Martin trade is “pending,” the Sixers confirmed on their 6:30 p.m. ET injury report.

On the basketball front, the 20-29 Sixers will host the Heat on Wednesday night (and Embiid will sit).

Here are observations on the Sixers' over the Mavs:

Embiid, Sixers' offense cooking right away

Embiid came back from a 15-game absence with a left knee injury. He did not wear a protective mask, which he’d done for several weeks this season after returning from a sinus fracture. While Embiid took an inadvertent hit to the face from Daniel Gafford in the third quarter, he remained in the game.

The seven-time All-Star’s scoring touch was present immediately. Embiid notched the Sixers’ first two baskets on a baseline fadeaway jumper and driving lefty layup. He posted seven points in under four minutes, started 3 for 3 from the floor and made decisive, confident reads. 

“I was scared of getting traded,” Embiid joked when asked about why he opened sharply in this particular return game. “No, I’m kidding. I don’t know. I just wanted to come out aggressive. I think earlier, when I was coming back, I was trying to fit in and make sure everybody was doing what they were supposed to do when I wasn’t playing. I think tonight I just asserted myself inside and out, because I know if I assert myself, now they’re doubling and triple teaming me, and that gets everybody else open.

“I think in the games that I played earlier in the season, we always had slow starts, especially because of me — because I wasn’t aggressive from the beginning. I think I learned from those lessons. I just want to come out being aggressive and kind of bring the attention to me so it can open up everybody else.”

While Embiid had five turnovers Tuesday, he generally passed the ball quite well. The Sixers had frequent success placing Embiid at the elbow and having Guerschon Yabusele (19 points on 7-for-8 shooting, eight rebounds) either duck in or make flex cuts. Yabusele’s intuitive sense of how to complement star talent and use his strength are handy tools alongside Embiid. 

Embiid subbed out with 4:40 left in the first quarter and the Sixers up 16-15. Ricky Council IV entered and Yabusele slid from power forward to center. Bona took over at the five a couple of minutes later. 

Maxey raised his aggression level once Embiid exited. He played yet another strong first quarter, scoring 11 of the Sixers’ 36 points and dishing out five assists. 

Defense, rebounding well below par in 2nd quarter

The Sixers’ second quarter began poorly. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. picked up his third foul just 34 seconds into the period. Dallas scored the first seven points of the second quarter and seemed to win every loose ball and contested rebound. The Mavs held an 11-0 edge in second-chance points when Embiid made a put-back layup late in the second period. 

With a lineup of Oubre, Embiid, Council, Reggie Jackson and Jeff Dowtin Jr., the Sixers were out of sync and thoroughly ineffective on both ends. Following a Klay Thompson three and Irving fast-break layup, Dallas had a 45-38 lead. 

Despite Embiid and Maxey combining for 34 first-half points on 14-for-21 shooting and nine assists, the Sixers trailed by seven points at intermission.

The one rare offensive blemish for Embiid was a 3-for-7 first half at the foul line. Before Tuesday, he hadn’t missed more than three free throws in a game this year. 

Sixers scrape past Mavs down the stretch

Irving drew the fourth foul on Edwards with 11:05 left in the third quarter. With the Sixers' options sparse on the wing, head coach Nick Nurse kept the 21-year-old in.

Edwards handled himself like a veteran, playing through his foul trouble while still making an impact. He hit a three and a short jumper in the third quarter. The Kentucky product tightly guarded a Naji Marshall miss late in the third and Maxey then drilled a mid-range jumper to give the Sixers the lead.

“He’s been great,” Embiid said of Edwards. “Through the ups and downs that we’ve had, we’ve been finding that type of stuff, and he’s one of them. ... He’s a guy where you have to play him. He's fearless. He wants to take on the challenges.

“And then I always have to beg all these guys, ‘Dude, just shoot the ball,’ and he doesn’t care. He’s wide-open, he shoots the ball — and he makes them. So he’s been great, especially for a rookie stepping into this type of situation. He could’ve played bad basketball, but he’s been doing the right things and he’s getting better every single day.”

The Sixers played good, high-energy basketball as a team without Embiid in the final minutes of the third quarter and went into the fourth with a seven-point advantage.

Although the Sixers' position appeared comfortable with their star duo on the floor, that wasn't the case. Maxey fouled Irving on a three-point attempt, Embiid and Maxey missed jumpers against Dallas' zone defense, and Thompson drained a corner three to put the Mavs ahead 109-107.

Edwards sunk a three after a Sixers timeout. The game stayed ultra-tight down the stretch and the Sixers made several crucial mistakes, including allowing Thompson to make another open three and Embiid charging into Irving.

Still, Embiid converted a go-ahead layup with 22 seconds to go off an excellent Yabusele post feed. Yabusele then came through defensively, contesting an unsuccessful Marshall attempt inside.

Embiid was intentionally fouled and split his shots at the line, meaning the Mavs' deficit was just two points heading into the final possession. The Sixers secured the necessary stop after Irving stumbled under pressure from Edwards near the sideline and Dallas couldn't find an opening in the paint.

It wasn't the prettiest finish, but the Sixers pulled out the win in Embiid's 14th outing of the season.

Reflecting postgame on his latest sidelined stint, Embiid called it “extremely” difficult mentally.

“Just got to find to try positives,” he said “and, even though there’s not a lot, lean on that positive stuff. It’s important … family who can keep you up, keep you going, keep you motivated. But it’s tough. Try to manage it, try to find a solution

“It just keeps happening. Hopefully, this time around, it’s for good. I feel pretty good, but (the knee) can be unpredictable. I don’t really have time to really recover, so until I get that time, it could be like that. Just got to keep going, do the right things, take care of yourself and hope for the best.”

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