Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers celebrate Embiid’s return with 122-113 win over Timberwolves

Note: There is no traditional recap post for tonight’s game.

Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Joel Embiid - 17
Tobias Harris - 10
Ben Simmons - 7
Shake Milton - 5
Matisse Thybulle - 2
Danny Green - 2
Tyrese Maxey - 2
Dakota Mathias - 1
Furkan Korkmaz - 1
Tony Bradley - 1

With MVP chants raining down in the Wells Fargo Center, you know Joel Embiid was back after a 10-game absence. The Sixers looked like they would coast past the league-worst Timberwolves when they started the second half on a 13-0 run. However, Karl-Anthony Towns (39 points) and Anthony Edwards (27 points) had other ideas. Minnesota’s two young stars brought Minnesota back from a 19-point deficit to down just four in the closing minutes. Philadelphia made enough plays down the stretch, though, to render the Wolves’ comeback as nothing more than a moral victory. The Sixers, prevailed, 122-113, and all that’s left now is to choose a Bell Ringer.

Tobias Harris: 32 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers

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Tobias had Wolves defenders bouncing off him all night long, getting to his spots and hitting everything in sight as part of a sparkling 13-of-17 shooting night. Down the stretch, Harris made sure to get his team across the finish line, scoring 12 points in the final 3:25 of the game. Nothing could better illustrate the difference in Tobias’s game from last year than his one-handed dunk in traffic during crunch-time. This is the prototypical closer-like performance the Sixers envisioned when they backed the Brinks truck up for Tobi.

Joel Embiid: 24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Joel had an interesting night against his rival Towns. KAT certainly had a huge night, and even served Embiid a vicious poster dunk. But despite some rust, JoJo looked about as good as you could have hoped following the lay-off. He definitely didn’t lose his ability to draw a whistle, finishing 12-of-17 at the foul line. Embiid also made some key defensive plays down the stretch, thrice blocking Anthony Edwards in the fourth quarter. Good to have the big man and his DX celebrations back in our lives.

Ben Simmons: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover

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Ben was still fairly quiet, but at least when he made up his mind to go to the basket, he went hard. Four of Simmons’ five made field goals were dunks, as the All-Star charged hard in transition and turned the corner fast out of fake DHOs and pick-and-rolls. On the night Joel made his return, the Sixers also welcomed back BenJammin’.