Jimmy Butler, 76ers Beat Pacers 120-96 as Joel Embiid Battles Back Injury

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Indiana Pacers 120-96 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday night.

Joel Embiid led the way for the Sixers with 22 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks, with Jimmy Butler (27 points and eight assists) and Ben Simmons (11 points, eight assists and eight rebounds) also contributing to the victory.

Victor Oladipo had 15 points in a losing effort for the Pacers.

Sixers Must Use Win as Springboard for Season-Defining Stretch

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Thursday night marked the beginning of arguably the toughest part of Philadelphia's schedule, as the Sixers are in a stretch of 12 consecutive games against teams with a winning record.

For a squad that has struggled to consistently play up to its potential during the season's first half, this offers Philadelphia an opportunity to establish itself as a serious Eastern Conference contender.

Through Feb. 12, they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets (twice), Los Angeles Lakers (twice), Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics. While some may be nervous about facing that type of gauntlet, at least one Philadelphia star welcomed the challenge.

"I'm excited," Embiid said Sunday, per ESPN.com's Tim Bontemps. "We're going to see how good we are and how good we can become—or how bad we are. I think the next three weeks are really going to shape our season. It will be exciting. It will be a good test."

The Sixers may have passed their first exam by beating the Pacers on the road Thursday, but it's important they keep the momentum.

Philadelphia is coming off a campaign in which it snapped a five-year postseason drought and made it to the second round of the playoffs before the Boston Celtics dispatched it in five games. Knowing they needed to add another star, the Sixers acquired Jimmy Butler in early November. 

That acquisition seemed to spark the team, as it has gone 22-10 since Nov. 12. Before the blockbuster deal, the 76ers were just 8-6.

It is important to note that Philadelphia hasn't fared well against tough competition. While the Sixers are 2-1 against the Pacers, they have struggled against the likes of the Celtics (0-2), Raptors (1-2), Bucks (0-1), Spurs (0-1) and Trail Blazers (0-1). Small sample sizes may play a role in those numbers, but head coach Brett Brown can't be pleased with those results.

Brown was, however, eager to see how his team would fare over the next month.

"I think the level rises," Brown said, per Bontemps. "I think our talent rises, and I look forward to playing some of the elite."

The Sixers have a golden opportunity to silence all of their critics. Their three-game winning streak is a good start.

Brett Brown Must Prioritize Embiid's Health over Seeding

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Even though the Sixers will be tested regularly during their upcoming gauntlet, Brown and Co. must keep the bigger picture in mind.

Injuries have played a large role in Embiid's career, and while he has maintained relatively good health this season, he is once again hobbled. The 24-year-old was questionable for Thursday night's game due to lower back tightness. And while he toughed it out, he experienced discomfort.

Embiid was just 1-of-4 for two points while playing nine minutes in the opening quarter. As Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer pointed out, Embiid's back was bothering him enough early on that he was using a foam roller.

And yet, he remained in the game.

Embiid wound up playing 35 minutes, going 9-of-19 from the field and 2-of-7 from beyond the arc. The fact that he flirted with a triple-double under these circumstances was spectacular.

Bontemps was among those to take notice:

The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor also had high praise:

But just because his overall numbers look nice in the box score doesn't mean it was the right decision to play him.

TNT analyst Charles Barkley, per PhillyVoice.com's Kyle Neubeck, called Philadelphia "the stupidest organization in the history of sports" for having Embiid play through his injury Thursday. And that's coming from someone who spent eight years as a Sixer.

With Butler and Simmons, Philadelphia has enough star power to compete in the regular season without Embiid. The same cannot be said of the postseason—at least not in the latter rounds.

Embiid has dealt with a number of injuries in his career, most notably a broken foot and an orbital fracture. The good news is that this ailment isn't a repeat offender, and he can play through it. However, given it's only Jan. 17, Brown and Co. need to get their All-Star center healthy.

If Embiid continues to play through the injury, it could linger. There's no question that a healthy Embiid is more valuable than home-court advantage to the Sixers.

What's Next?

Both teams will be back in action on Saturday. Philadelphia (30-16) will open a three-game homestand by hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Indiana (29-15) will continue its five-game homestand with a tilt against the Dallas Mavericks.