Sixers' Joel Embiid returns with 34 in win, will sit again Sat.

Sixers star Joel Embiid was in top form in his return to the starting lineup Friday night, scoring a game-high 34 points to lead Philadelphia to a 108-98 victory over the visitingCharlotte Hornets.

Embiid, back after a one-game absence due to a sinus fracture, will sit out the second leg of the Sixers' back-to-back Saturday in Cleveland, according to head coach Nick Nurse.

Sporting a black protective mask Friday night, Embiid scored 24 of his points in the second half for the Sixers, who have won four of their past five games. He was 12-of-24 from the field and added 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in 31 minutes.

"I thought he looked good," Nurse said. "He obviously was scoring the ball after, again, little bit of a slow start. He got a good number of assists, especially early. He looked pretty good."

Embiid was injured last Friday when he was struck in the face byIndiana'sBennedict Mathurin while going for a defensive rebound. He sat out his team's 121-108 victory over the Hornets on Monday.

Friday marked only the seventh game this season for Embiid, who has been plagued by a sore knee.br/]