PHILADELPHIA -- Back in action after missing the past month with knee swelling and a foot sprain, Joel Embiid hit the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds to go and posted a triple-double for the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night in a 118-116 win over the Dallas Mavericks
Embiid had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes. Coach Nick Nurse said before the game that 30 minutes was a realistic expectation, but that he would see how the 7-footer felt throughout the night.
Afterward, Nurse said Embiid will sit out against the Miami Heat on Wednesday in the second night of a back-to-back.
"I wish I could play every game," Embiid said of his expectations for the rest of the season. "Whatever God decides from that point on, I can't control it. Goal is to be available every single night."
Embiid, the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player, had not played since a Jan. 4 win over the Brooklyn Nets, a span of 15 games. He is averaging 24.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 14 games for the 76ers, who entered the night one game behind the Chicago Bulls for the 10th seed and final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
He described this season as being "extremely" frustrating.
"Trying to find the positives, like support and family, but it's tough," he said.
The Mavericks were without new big man Anthony Davis, who remained out with an abdominal strain he suffered in Philadelphia as a Laker a week ago. Davis said he could return Thursday in Boston against the Celtics or Saturday back in Dallas against the Houston Rockets.
Also out Tuesday were Quentin Grimes and Caleb Martin, after Philadelphia and Dallas swapped the two players earlier in the day. Though both teams are in Philadelphia, the trade was not completed in time for either of them to play.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.