Sixers' Joel Embiid opens up on injury recovery, helping Tyrese Maxey

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers welcomed Joel Embiid back to the floor on Sunday for the first time since Nov. 8 and the big fella delivered a solid game. After missing nine games due to a bothersome right knee, he had 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting while playing 30 minutes in a double overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

The Sixers came up short, but the fact that they were able to have Embiid back out there is a big boost to this group. His mere presence makes life easy for everybody out on the floor, including Tyrese Maxey.

Maxey has been at the top of opposing teams' scouting reports all season long with his name highlighted and underlined in red ink on a nightly basis. He has had to play heavy minutes and carry a heavy load. The same load Embiid has carried for the Sixers throughout his career. He knows what his young teammate is going through and he wants to be out there with him.

After the loss, Embiid opened up on those who question whether or not he wants to play along with his want to help Maxey get the job done.

"The only thing I’ll say is, I do feel bad, but it's unfortunate," Embiid stated. "You can only control what you can control. If anybody thinks that I don't want to play every game, that's their problem, but I think history has shown that I would do anything just to play one game of basketball. So, I do feel bad. Obviously, the minutes that he has to play, the load that he has to handle. I've been there. I know how it feels, but you just gotta trust in you know what you're doing, and in God and be OK with the fact that whatever happens, happens."

Injuries have been such an unfortunate part of Embiid's story. He has been a phenomenal talent and done some eye-popping things in his career. When he eventually retires, he is going to be remembered for all of the amazing things he's done on the basketball court, but there will be those who bring up the injuries. He knows it, but what can he do? He can only continue to work hard and get healthy while continuing to want to help Maxey through it all.

"If something happened to me like it happened, what can I do?" Embiid added. "Just go out and rehab and come back as soon as possible. That's the mindset, but obviously, he's (Maxey) having a great season. An MVP-like season, extremely proud of him, what he's been able to accomplish, and obviously, carrying the load. He’s doing a fantastic job."

Embiid finished at 30 minutes--the most he's played all season. He wasn't able to play in the second overtime session due to his restriction, but the goal now is to build off this for the future.

"It's tough," Embiid said of not playing in the second OT. "Obviously, I fought hard to be—even in the first overtime, and then obviously in the second overtime, I wasn't allowed to keep going. It’s tough. You want to be out there, especially, because we lost. If we would have won, I wouldn't have cared, but I still felt like there's something I could have done just being on the floor. It’s tough, but got to move forward. Can't look back and try to learn from it and get better."

Embiid and the Sixers will play host to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers' Joel Embiid opens up on injury recovery, helping Tyrese Maxey