By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Joel Embiid made his long awaited return to a basketball court for an NBA game after not playing since January of last season. The Sixers obliterated the Brooklyn Nets by a score of 133-114.
The Nets had the advantage early led by Chester, Pennsylvania native Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the early portion of the first quarter, but soon Embiid would take over.
The Nets simply could not handle Embiid, who went to the free throw line 18 times in his limited action. Embiid scored the first bucket of the night for the Sixers on his first touch, and took over in his second run.
Embiid led a big Sixers run late in the first, mainly with his trips to the free throw line. Quickly the Sixers grabbed the lead and ended the first quarter with a 30-22 advantage.
It was more of the same from Embiid in the second quarter, when the Sixers exploded for 46 points. The Sixers walked away from the first half with a monstrous 76-51 lead over Brooklyn.
Embiid, fresh off of a huge contract extension, put the worries of Sixers fans to rest on Wednesday night. The big man from Cameroon played in short spurts across the first half and one quick run in the second half. He did not disappoint.
Embiid dominated the Nets in all areas. In just 11 minutes in the first half Embiid scored 20 points, grabbed seven boards, and blocked a shot. He made 14 of 18 free throws and four of eight field goal attempts.
Dario Saric contributed 17 points of his own in the first half after pouring in four three-point attempts in the second quarter.
The Sixers continued to roll in the second half even with Embiid done for the night.
Saric stayed active on both ends, and the Nets remained stifled by the Sixers right up until the end.
The Sixers huge night gave them a 112-84 lead heading into the final quarter.
There was not a Sixers player that looked bad in the contest. Every lineup that Brett Brown put on the floor operated without a hitch in the demolition of the Brooklyn Nets.
Joel Embiid finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one block in 14 minutes of play, looking every bit like the franchise cornerstone he was paid to be. Dario Saric led the Sixers with 26 points and nine rebounds along with three steaks over 24 minutes off of the bench.
J.J. Redick scored 18 points with two rebounds and three assists, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 11 points, and T.J. McConnell was the final sixer in double figures with 10 points. McConnell also added four rebounds and seven assists in 19 minutes.
Jahlil Okafor continued his strong preseason with eight points in an 11-minute run in the second half.
D'angelo Russell led all Brooklyn players with 24 points.
This is the Sixers first win of the preseason, with one more preseason game remaining before the season opener.
You can see highlights from Embiid's return below:
In his first game of the #NBAPreseason, Joel Embiid went for 20 PTS & 7 REBS in the 1st half! pic.twitter.com/xYDYIeIyf9
— NBA (@NBA) October 12, 2017
