Joel Embiid gave everyone a surprise in the 76ers’ preseason game against the Boston Celtics, and he was apparently just as shocked as the rest of the arena.
The play came in transition. LeBron James delivered the pass, Embiid sold a dribble hand-off, then exploded to the rim and finished with a dunk over a Celtics defender. For a player who has spent much of his career protecting his body, it was the kind of moment that stood out immediately.
After the game, Embiid admitted he did not exactly see that one coming.
"I saw how awkward I landed. I guess it's good to dunk.
I thought I would never dunk again. Yeah, I don't know what happened.
I kind of got possessed. I changed my mind when I saw he was going to block it," Embiid said after the 76ers' game against the Celtics.
Embiid has been the centerpiece of Philadelphia for years, and his resume speaks for itself, including his 2023 MVP award. At his best, he remains one of the league’s toughest covers, even if injuries and wear have changed the way he plays from possession to possession.
Still, the dunk offered a different look. It suggested he may be feeling better heading into the 2026-27 season, and it came after a stretch in which he has rarely gone above the rim. That has mostly been a matter of preservation, not ability.
With James and Jaylen Brown on the roster, the pressure around the 76ers is higher than ever. If Embiid can deliver that kind of aggression along with his usual production, Philadelphia has a real chance to lean on him in a big way. And if the dunks keep coming, that only adds another layer to an already dangerous game.
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