Skip Bayless changes tune on Joel Embiid after being ‘blown away’ by his heroic return

Despite sitting out for a significant portion of the 2023-24 regular season, Joel Embiid made his comeback to the court against the OKC Thunder on Tuesday. Embiid had to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus, which caused him to miss 29 games as a result.

At first, well-known sports analyst Skip Bayless was not in favor of Embiid returning to play for the Sixers. He believed that the big man’s comeback would not greatly affect his team, especially with the 2024 NBA Playoffs looming ahead. Bayless went on to critique Embiid’s lack of leadership and noted his struggles in elevating his teammates’ performance.

After witnessing Joel Embiid’s performance in his comeback game against the Thunder, Skip Bayless’ perception of him changed. Despite lacking key players like Tyrese Maxey, the star big man led Philadelphia to a 109-105 victory in nearly 30 minutes of play. Bayless was left in awe and had nothing but praise for Joel.

Observe Skip Bayless’ remarks on Joel Embiid’s comeback in the video below:

Embiid’s Epic Comeback Leads Sixers to Victory Over Thunder

The 76ers (41-35) were able to secure a victory over the OKC Thunder (52-23) with the help of their star center Joel Embiid, who had recently returned from injury. Despite missing a significant portion of the 2023-24 regular season, there were doubts about Embiid’s performance due to his recovery. However, the dominant big man showed no signs of slowing down and proved that his previous meniscus surgery had not affected his exceptional abilities.

Despite only playing for 29 minutes in his return, Embiid managed to contribute 24 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals. This demonstration of his leadership skills and ability to carry his team solidified his position as a capable leader for the Sixers.

It should be noted that Joel Embiid had valuable assistance from Kelly Oubre Jr., particularly due to the absence of Tyrese Maxey in the lineup. Oubre Jr. contributed 25 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

Fortunately for Philadelphia, the Oklahoma City Thunder were missing important players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Despite not having a star on the court, the Thunder were predicted to easily defeat the Sixers due to everyone’s belief that Joel Embiid would struggle to find his rhythm after being out with an injury. However, the Sixers’ dominant center showed that no amount of time off could hinder his performance as he led his team to victory.

Despite the Philadelphia 76ers winning their last two games, their chances of securing the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference are still up in the air. Currently, the Indiana Pacers (43-33) hold the sixth spot, but their lead over Philadelphia is only two games. If the Pacers want to avoid being in the NBA Play-In Tournament, they will need to maintain a consistent winning streak for the rest of their remaining games.