Joel Embiid isn’t take return to form for granted after 76ers’ dominant win over Bucks

After sitting out the Philadelphia 76ers’ ugly blowout defeat to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, Joel Embiid came out of the gates hot against his former coach, Doc Rivers, scoring 18 points in 12 minutes on the way to another dominant showing.

Discussing how it feels to look like vintage Embiid after being held to just 58 games over the last two seasons, “The Process” noted after the game that he’s simply grateful for another opportunity to do what he loves after years of uncertainty.

“Man it feels so good. Every single time I step onto the floor, I become emotional because these last few years have been extremely tough with what I’ve been through with my family,” Embiid noted on the broadcast. “I’m just happy. To finally be consistent on the court, I don’t take it for granted. Yeah, it’s been a good feeling to be on the court and do what you love, and hopefully I keep doing the right things and keep it going.”

Appearing in a career-low 19 games for the 76ers last season, many openly wondered if Embiid would even play even close to his MVP ceiling again or if his contract would serve as one of the biggest albatrosses in the NBA due to his inability to take the court regularly. While it’s too early to write the full story of Embiid’s season just yet, as fans know how quickly an elite outing can turn into a series of injury tweets that stretch on for months, if he continues to play like his month of January so far, the 76ers will be in good shape in a wide-open Eastern Conference.

"Every single time I step on the floor, I become emotional."

Joel Embiid (29 PTS in PHI's W) on persevering through tough times and playing with joy again pic.twitter.com/3WJEpqJC8I

— NBA (@NBA) January 28, 2026

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