Joel Embiid Triple Double Leads 76ers Past Bucks 127-116 for a 3-0 Start

Joel Embiid posted a triple double and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 127-116 on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Embiid led Philadelphia with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and the 76ers held off a late Milwaukee push to stay unbeaten.

Philadelphia improved to 3-0. Milwaukee fell to 0-3. Philadelphia won the first quarter 34-25, lost the second 35-30, and won the third 33-27 and the fourth 30-29.

Embiid runs the night

Embiid shot 8 of 20 from the field and 12 of 14 from the free throw line in 36 minutes 12 seconds of play. He had a big second half on offense and finished as Philadelphia's top scorer, with the triple double built on 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points with 5 assists, on 9 of 19 shooting, on his 30th birthday. Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points with 4 assists. VJ Edgecombe added 17 points and 13 rebounds, making 5 of his 10 three point attempts, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 12 points.

Philadelphia did it without LeBron James, who was inactive. He was listed as inactive with an injury or illness designation, and the game was described in local coverage as Philadelphia's first test without him. The 76ers passed it with four players in double figures behind Embiid and Brown.

How the game turned

Philadelphia led 64-60 at halftime, after a 10-0 run near the end of the second quarter. The lead was 97-87 after the third quarter.

The team numbers explain much of the gap. Milwaukee committed 22 turnovers against 11 for Philadelphia. Philadelphia recorded 14 steals against 5 for Milwaukee, and made 19 of 44 three pointers against 11 of 34 for the Bucks.

Milwaukee fights back, then fades

Jaime Jaquez Jr. led Milwaukee with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Kel'el Ware added 19 points and 13 rebounds, Ryan Rollins scored 15 points, Kyle Kuzma had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Tyler Herro scored 13 points.

Milwaukee cut the margin to one possession late in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia answered at the right moment. A three pointer by Brown and a transition three pointer by Caldwell-Pope closed the game for the 76ers.

The night also brought a debut for Milwaukee. Rookie Nate Ament made his NBA debut, was given the job of defending Brown, and scored his first point on a free throw.