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Joel Embiid scores 34 points in return, leading Sixers to a 108-98 victory over Charlotte Hornets

Embiid, who previously missed Monday's game with a right sinus fracture, helped the Sixers take advantage of a depleted Charlotte Hornets roster.

Sixers center Joel Embiid scored 34 points against the Hornets on Friday night.
Sixers center Joel Embiid scored 34 points against the Hornets on Friday night.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

The 76ers welcomed back Joel Embiid Friday night, and the Charlotte Hornets were without several key pieces due to injuries. And that didn’t bode well for the visiting team.

Embiid, a donning a mask, finished with game highs of 34 points and nine assists in a 108-98 victory at the Wells Fargo Center after missing Monday’s game against the Hornets because of a right sinus fracture.

“I thought he looked good,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He, obviously, was scoring the ball, after, again, a little bit of a slow start. He got a good number of assists, especially early. I thought it looked pretty good.”

After missing his first two shots, Embiid made three straight en route to shooting 12-for-24 — including making 2 of 4 three-pointers. The 7-foot-2 center also made 8 of 9 foul shots.

The victory improved the Sixers to 9-16 and marked their sixth victory in eight games. Philly also swept this season’s four games against the Hornets (7-21), extending their series winning streak to 10 games. The Sixers have also won 27 of the last 29 meetings.

» READ MORE: ‘I call him Unc Lowry’: Inside the growing relationship between rookie Jared McCain and ‘super vet’ Kyle Lowry

Charlotte was without All-Star LaMelo Ball (left calf injury management), Brandon Miller (sprained left ankle), Marc Williams (left foot injury management), Tre Mann (disc irritation), and Grant Williams (right ACL tear).

But the Hornets made things closer than expected.

The Sixers saw a commanding 23-point cushion dwindle down to four points with 6 minutes, 56 seconds remaining. After the teams traded baskets, the Sixers went on a 5-0 run, which included Guerschon Yabusele posterizing a Hornet, to build a 96-87 advantage.

Embiid scored 12 of his points in the third quarter before adding 12 in the fourth quarter. None of those fourth-quarter points were bigger than his three straight baskets to give the Sixers a 102-94 lead with 3:54 left.

Tyrese Maxey had 23 points, six assists, and four rebounds. He made four of 11 three-point attempts.

Like in the Sixers’ road victory against the Chicago Bulls, Embiid and Maxey excelled in their two-man game.

“Yeah, it’s really good from the perspective as I really like the way Tyrese [Maxey] gets moving on it,” Nurse said. “His start, stop, start, is really good. He goes in one direction, he’s able to get the ball back because he’s got some freedom of movement which is created by the trudge of Joel with the ball, so plenty of good actions off of that.

“And again, they obviously like to play it sometimes it’s five times in one possession they go back and forth, but usually get us something pretty good. I love it because I think it frees Tyrese up for four or five threes tonight which I like.”

Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 points while making 4 of 6 three-pointers. Paul George had 10 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. However, he only had five points while making just 2 of 12 shots. George missed six of seven three-pointers.

The Sixers finished with a season-high 30 assists. Vasilije Micić, who started at point guard in place of Ball, led the Hornets with 20 points.

Up next

The Sixers will head to Cleveland after Friday’s game for a Saturday matchup with the Cavaliers at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Embiid will miss the contest as part of his load-management plan.

» READ MORE: Sixers takeaways: Paul George's struggles with Joel Embiid, three-point barrage

The Cavs have a league-best 24-4 record after Friday’s 124-101 home victory against the Milwaukee Bucks. Saturday’s matchup will be the second of three meetings between the Sixers and the Cavs.

Cleveland held on to defeat the Sixers, 114-106, on Nov. 13. Rookie guard Jared McCain, who is now out indefinitely with a left meniscus tear, finished with a career-high of 34 points in his first career start.

The Sixers were without their All-Star trio of Maxey (strained right hamstring), Embiid (left knee injury management) and George (left knee injury management) for that game.