PHILADELPHIA -- It remains news around the Philadelphia 76ers when Joel Embiid is available to play a game of basketball.
The news cycle dropped one of those fleeting instances Sunday with Embiid, about a half-hour before tipoff announced as a go for a game against the Atlanta Hawks, his first game since Nov. 8.
Embiid played six of the team's first nine games while managing the injury to his left knee, in which his meniscus was surgically repaired in early 2024. Soon after the planned off day in a back-to-back on Nov. 9, he reported soreness in his right knee that has been limiting him.
He's been a regular participant in practice over the last few weeks. But he hasn't been ready to play despite being listed as questionable as recently as last Tuesday, then out Friday's game in the initial report more than 24 hours before tipoff.
The final steps in his return to action have remained opaque. Embiid was only cleared to play after going through a pre-game workout. The 76ers entered 4-2 this season in games in which Embiid has played.
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Embiid's return to the lineup wasn't the only center injury news Sunday. It may not even have been the most relieving.
The 76ers feared the worst when Andre Drummond exited Friday's game in Brooklyn with a right knee injury. Imaging and a practice day Saturday revealed it to be just a contusion.
"It looked like a pretty hard fall and pretty rough afterwards," coach Nick Nurse said. "I think the initial checks afterwards were fairly positive, but there was a couple things that he avoided, and then obviously avoided pretty much everything in the imaging. So, yeah, big, big relief."
Drummond was listed as questionable, then cleared to play just before the game.
Drummond has been massive this season spelling Embiid. He's started nine of 17 games, averaging 23.4 minutes, 8.2 rebounds and 10.3 rebounds per game.
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In addition to Embiid and Drummond, VJ Edgecombe returned from a three-game absence due to a left calf injury.
The rookie looked springy early, impacting the game on both ends of the court.
The returns leave Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) and Kelly Oubre (left knee sprain) the only injured 76ers. Oubre this week is coming up on the two-week reevaluation timeline in his injury, suffered in Detroit on Nov. 14.
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The Jared McCain comeback trail appears to have reached its natural endpoint on Friday when the second-year guard scored 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting in 29 minutes in a win over the Brooklyn Nets.
It's been a steady build for McCain, who didn't score in his first four games with the 76ers this year, returning from a preseason thumb ligament tear and still working back from last December's meniscus tear that brought an end to his rookie season after just 23 games.
"I think it's been just a matter of getting out there," Nurse said. "He went 11 months without being out on the court at all, and I think it's just an equal parts combination of conditioning and rhythm. And I think he's finally settling in a little bit with both of those things, which I think is just really helping his confidence."
McCain steadily stacked firsts.
The four scoreless appearances occasioned a conditioning stint in Delaware with the Blue Coats. There was a palpable release when he hit his first field goal attempt and his first 3-pointer in Game 5 on Nov. 19 against Toronto. Aided by the absence of Edgecombe, he's become a regular member of the backcourt rotation without any limitations or caveats.
Sunday night was the seventh straight game in which he's played. He's managed at least 15 points and 25 minutes in each of the last three.