The Philadelphia 76ers welcomed Joel Embiid back to the lineup on Tuesday when they paid a visit to the Indiana Pacers. The Sixers were in position to earn a 2-1 road trip against the East-worst Pacers and the return of Embiid would certainly help them in that regard.
The Sixers used a big second quarter–they outscored the Pacers 45-27 in the second–to earn themselves a 135-114 win. Embiid had 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists as Philadelphia has won back-to-back games to end the trip following a 4-game losing streak.
Tyrese Maxey had 32 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, VJ Edgecombe had 23 points and seven rebounds, and Quentin Grimes added 15 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 12 points for the Sixers as well.
Here are the player grades following the win:
Tyrese Maxey: A-plus
The Pacers didn’t have anybody to really stay in front of Maxey in this one. They already aren’t the greatest defensive team, but Maxey just made it look so easy. He found his rhythm early, got to his spots, and made Indiana pay for every little mistake it made on that end of the floor. He dominated the second quarter as Philadelphia built its big lead. His big second quarter led to an overall big night for him in the scoring department as he looked like he had his burst on that offensive end of the floor again. He was helpful on the glass and as a playmaker as well to help the Sixers do it all.
VJ Edgecombe: A
The rookie started the night off by knocking down a triple from the wing before then using his blazing quickness to get to the basket and finish. When he finds a groove early, it adds another layer to Philadelphia’s offense and he brought it in this one at a high level. Edgecombe found a lot of success just off dribble penetration against Indiana’s leaky defense and he was also able to work in the mid-range. There was a lot of impressive 3-level scoring for the No. 3 overall pick in this one as the Sixers were able to take advantage and handle business.
Kelly Oubre Jr.: A-minus
The Sixers continue to get solid play out of Oubre. He was in a groove from the jump in this one and he knocked down a wing triple after the Pacers doubled Embiid on the block. His early 3-point shooting allowed the floor to be spaced and the offense to flow. He contributed on both ends of the floor while also helping on the glass and giving Philadelphia a presence on the perimeter as well.
Dominick Barlow: C
It was a slow night for Barlow. He was helpful on the glass and he made some nice plays defensively, but the big man didn’t have many scoring opportunities and he struggled at the line.
Joel Embiid: A
Making his return to the floor for the first time since Feb. 7, Embiid started the game off by making plays for others. He was directing traffic and made sure the Sixers were able to find a rhythm in the early going. In terms of his scoring, he found success against Indiana’s big man tandem of Jay Huff and Micah Potter as he had his way with them. He was efficient with his offense all night long as he was able to work around the rim and give the Sixers some serious scoring from the big man spot. He has dominated the Pacers in his matchups with them on the season and Tuesday was no different.
Quentin Grimes: A-minus
The leader of the bench unit continues to find his rhythm. Grimes’ initial stint was terrific as he was able to find a groove just by being aggressive and taking advantage of his opportunities. He knocked down a wide-open 3 to start before getting to the basket for some much-needed finishes and making sure the offense finds itself for the second unit.
Adem Bona: A
The initial stint for Bona was a good one. He was aggressive on the glass and defensively while making plays for his teammates with his passing and scoring on the low block. Overall, the second-year big man played with a ton of energy and he overwhelmed the Pacers at times as they had a tough time really containing Bona in his minutes.
Jabari Walker: C-minus
The first run for Walker didn’t produce much in terms of productivity. He played with energy, but was unable to really find a way to impact the game. That led to a pretty non-descript night for him.
Cam Payne: C-minus
Payne was unable to get much going in his first run of the night. He missed an open 3 and was unable to finish an opportunity at the rim. Like Walker, it wasn’t a huge night.
Trendon Watford: B
The Sixers turned to Watford in the second quarter and he had a nice finish at the basket along with contributing with his passing. He continues to show off his versatile game whenever he gets the opportunity.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Joel Embiid returns to lead Sixers over lowly Pacers
