PHILADELPHIA: Joel Embiid returned after a first-quarter knee scare and scored 20 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Toronto Raptors 123-112 on Thursday, with Tyrese Maxey leading their scoring.
Embiid fell after a collision while setting a screen at Xfinity Mobile Arena. He clutched his right knee as medical staff checked him, then briefly left the game.
However, the centre returned approximately three minutes later and scored his first basket with fewer than two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
Maxey finished with 27 points and eight assists. His performance helped Philadelphia recover from a slow start and return to winning ways after Tuesday’s defeat to the Boston Celtics. The victory improved the Sixers’ record to 10-3, while Toronto dropped to 5-7.
Jaylen Brown contributed 18 points and six rebounds. Anfernee Simons supplied 17 points off the bench, making five of his six three-point attempts.
VJ Edgecombe added 15 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals, giving Philadelphia another substantial contribution alongside its established scorers.
Toronto led early, but Philadelphia took control late in the third quarter and entered the final period ahead 96-87. After the Raptors narrowed the gap to six, the Sixers scored 10 of the next 13 points to regain command.
Embiid had entered the evening as a game-time decision because of a separate right-foot condition. Philadelphia upgraded him from questionable to available approximately half an hour before tip-off.
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His pregame injury designation concerned management of a plantar fascia injury, distinct from the knee collision during the game. Philadelphia also played without LeBron James, who sat out for lower-back and sciatica management.
The Sixers next host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday before visiting the Brooklyn Nets on Monday for the second game of a back-to-back.
(With additional input from Yahoo Sports and The Associated Press.)
