Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts against the New York Knicks in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Joel Embiid made his preseason debut on Thursday, as the Philadelphia 76ers visited the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. The 76ers won their first assignment against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday.
There was a scary moment in the first quarter when Embiid fell to the floor after Mo Wagner pushed him during a box-out. As he was tumbling, Jaylen Brown collided with him.
Fortunately, it was nothing serious. Embiid and Brown got up, shook it off, and kept playing.
Scary collision between Embiid and Brown 😳
Both were able to shake it off and stay in the game. pic.twitter.com/1Mfw5fs4Vv
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) October 9, 2026
Obviously, the 76ers cannot afford to lose either All-Star. The 32-year-old Embiid, in particular, has struggled to stay healthy, hampering the success of Philadelphia. Last season, he played 38 games, his second-fewest in nine years. He averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks.
The 30-year-old Brown, for his part, has been relatively durable. Last season, he played 71 games, registering career-highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
If the Sixers can avoid injuries, they will be a monstrous challenge in the Eastern Conference. They are aiming to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2001.
As of this writing, the 76ers are trailing the Nets in the third quarter.
Embiid has six points, three rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 24 minutes. He also has eight turnovers. Brown, meanwhile, has 18 points, two rebounds, and two assists in 24 minutes.
LeBron James also made his preseason debut for Philadelphia. He has 10 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one steal in 18 minutes.
James recently refuted the claim that he berated Embiid for being late for practice.