Joel Embiid's First Dunk Sparks 76ers Win

Joel Embiid finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and sealed a 130-119 road win over the Knicks with his first dunk of the season, a late slam with 24.9 seconds left. Embiid shrugged it off as "whatever" and called the dunk "an easy one," adding "I wish it would have been one off the backboard. ... That's the next step." He has played 16 of 33 games while the Sixers manage his return from last season’s knee surgery, and his limited availability has still helped Philadelphia sit at 19-14. Merlin sees more than a highlight. The dunk is a small but telling sign that strength and confidence are returning, and Tyrese Maxey already joked about lobbing him more after saying "I'm going to throw him a lob, and we're going to see how that goes." If Embiid stays healthy and gets more touches, the Sixers' ceiling rises quickly.