Joel Embiid returned to an NBA basketball court on Tuesday for the first time this season.

But he did not return in match form. Embiid struggled off the court and was sluggish in his first game of the season as the New York Knicks earned a 111-99 win over Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Cup game.

After missing the first nine games of the season, Embiid finished with 13 points, three rebounds, five assists and one block. He shot 2-for-11 from the field and scored eight of his 13 points from the free-throw line. He played 26 minutes.

Embiid missed the first six games of the season due to what the team described as “left knee management,” and then the next three due to an NBA suspension for pushing a reporter.

Embiid got the start against the Knicks and was quickly out of breath from his first live basketball action since the Summer Olympics in Paris. He raised his hand to take a break at the 7:10 mark of the first quarter with New York leading 12–6. He was 0-for-2 with an assist and turnover when he left the field.

Embiid walked to the locker room with a wrap on his left knee that was surgically repaired last season. His departure was short-lived and he returned to play a total of 13 minutes in the first half without making a field goal. He entered the break with eight points and four rebounds, with all of his points arriving at the free-throw line. He missed all three of his shots in the first half.

Embiid was active to start the third quarter but continued to miss shots en route to an 0-for-5 start from the field. His first success of the night and the season came on a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer three minutes into the third quarter, cutting the Knicks’ lead to 61-60.

But the highlights for Embiid were few and far between, as Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns made the most of the battle for All-Star big men. The 76ers kept things close for three quarters, but the Knicks pulled away late with a 33-24 lead in the fourth quarter.

76ers fans left the arena en masse with 4:17 to go and New York leading 97-83. Embiid sat for the final 6:21 of the game.

The game marked the first time Embiid played alongside his new All-Star teammate Paul George, who arrived via an offseason trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. Philadelphia fans are still waiting for the debut of their new-look Big 3 as All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey watches from the bench with a hamstring injury expected to sideline him for several weeks.

The good news Tuesday for the 76ers is that George looked excellent alongside Embiid in one of his best games since joining the team. George finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three assists while making 7 of 11 three-point shots. But it didn’t result in a win, and a 76ers team with title aspirations fell to 2-8 to start the season.

The hope in Philadelphia lies in the prospect of Embiid, George and Maxey playing together enough to build chemistry, get the 76ers to the playoffs and stay healthy in the postseason. It’s a grim prospect given Philadelphia’s injury history and plan to limit George and Embiid’s playing time even when healthy.

If he can stay healthy, better days are certainly ahead for Embiid, who is an MVP-caliber player at best. The 76ers will need that version of Embiid to arrive quickly before their season spirals out of control.