PHILADELPHIA -- It took an extra three weeks, but Joel Embiid's regular season finally is underway.
The superstar center made his season debut Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center against the New York Knicks after missing the first nine games due to left knee injury management and then a three-game suspension for shoving a media member.
And after a predictably up-and-down performance across 26 minutes -- 13 points on 2-for-11 shooting from the field (but 8 for 8 from the foul line), plus three rebounds, five assists and a block - in a 111-99 loss, Embiid said it will time for the confidence in exploding off his troublesome left knee to return.