NBA Roundup: Embiid Returns, Pritchard Erupts, and the Knicks Keep Rolling at MSG
76ers: Embiid’s Return Highlights Gritty Double-OT Loss
Joel Embiid was back on the hardwood Sunday night, and while the Sixers didn’t walk away with a win, they did get something just as important - their MVP center back in uniform and logging meaningful minutes.
After missing three weeks with a right knee issue, Embiid played a season-high 30 minutes in a double-overtime loss to the Hawks. He finished with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, showing flashes of his dominant self despite clear signs of rust. The Sixers opted to keep him out of the second overtime, continuing their cautious approach with the knee that ended his 2023-24 campaign.
“I thought the first half was pretty good,” Embiid said postgame. “When it’s been almost a month and you’ve only had about two court sessions, going up and down, it’s going to be tough.
I’m just happy I got a chance to play basketball, build on it and go from there. Tonight is all about how I moved laterally, jumping and all that stuff.
Tonight was a good step.”
This was just Embiid’s seventh appearance of the season, but he’s been productive when he’s played - averaging 19.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in just over 24 minutes per game. The Sixers are clearly playing the long game with their franchise cornerstone, and Sunday was a sign that the ramp-up is underway.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe also made his return from a calf injury, logging 21 minutes and scoring seven points. He didn’t see action in either overtime period, and neither did Paul George, who was making just his fifth appearance of the year. Head coach Nick Nurse kept it simple when asked about the limited rotations late: “That was just kind of about as much as they had, to be honest.”
Celtics: Pritchard Bounces Back in a Big Way
One night after a quiet performance in Minnesota, Payton Pritchard came out firing in Cleveland - and didn’t stop until he’d dropped a career-high 42 points.
Pritchard hit his first three-pointer just nine seconds into the game and stayed hot throughout, finishing 15-of-22 from the field in a statement win for the Celtics. He added 15 points in the fourth quarter alone, sealing the game with the kind of confidence and poise that Boston has been hoping to see more consistently.
“I just wanted to come out tonight after a disappointing night before and redeem myself,” Pritchard said. “Hopefully I can continue this and catch a rhythm. I’m not saying every night’s going to be scoring, but be efficient and help the team win.”
That kind of mentality is exactly what you want from your rotation guys - especially in a long season where depth often separates contenders from pretenders. “I’m a competitor,” he added. “You can either fold… but for me, today I’m going to come out and give everything I’ve got.”
Knicks: MSG Magic Rolls On
The Knicks continue to turn Madison Square Garden into a fortress. With Sunday’s 22-point win over the Raptors, New York improved to 10-1 at home this season - and the players are giving the fans their flowers.
“Our fans make playing at home so fun,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “The support and energy they give us is priceless. They’ve carried us to the finish line more than just home games.”
That homecourt energy has been contagious, especially for Josh Hart. Filling the void left by OG Anunoby, Hart has been doing a little bit of everything - and doing it well. Over the last seven games, he’s averaged 14.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.7 steals while shooting over 52 percent from the field.
He kept that momentum going Sunday with a 20-point, 12-rebound, seven-assist, three-steal performance - a stat line that screams versatility and hustle.
“Josh, he’s a baller,” coach Mike Brown said. “It doesn’t matter what you throw in front of him. He just goes and balls out.”
Bottom Line
Whether it’s Embiid taking his first steps back to full strength, Pritchard seizing the moment, or the Knicks feeding off their home crowd, Sunday night gave us plenty of storylines worth watching. December is here, and the league is starting to take shape - but if this weekend was any indication, there’s still a whole lot of basketball left to be written.