By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It could've gone a lot worse, but Joel Embiid actually wowed and played a solid night in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night at the Staples Center playing for the Steph Curry-led team.
Team LeBron James ended up getting the best of Team Steph 148-145 in a game that came down right to the wire.
For Embiid, it was his first All-Star appearance, and finished the night with 19 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and a steal in 20 minutes on the floor.
Out of all of the starters for Team Steph, Embiid played the least amount of time. He also had a team-high three personal fouls, but didn't turn the ball over once, which has been an issue for the Sixers' center all season long.
In addition to his 19 points, Embiid shot 8-of-13 from the field, went 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and sunk a free throw.
Trending: Joel Embiid's All-Star selection a testament to his dedication
While he played the least amount of minutes among the starters, Embiid led the starting lineup with the only +/- of the night, finishing at a +5.
Embiid started the night strong, netting the first two points of the contest with a two-hand slam dunk, and was fouled for the and-1.
Embiid drives, dunks and completes a three-point play for the first points of the game. #AllStarGame
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoNBCS) February 19, 2018
He also showed his defensive prowess on the floor as well, with a big block to reject Paul George from scoring a bucket.
Embiid with the CLUTCH block against PG (via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/dVoF0nIcDc
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) February 19, 2018
DeMar DeRozan and Damian Lillard led Team Stephen with 21 points each, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 17 points and grabbed 10 boards off the bench.
LeBron James took home MVP honors for the third time, scoring 29 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
All-in-all, the new All-Star Game format was a success, and was one of the most competitive NBA All-Star Games in recent memory. But Embiid's performance definitely sent shockwaves around the league, proving how real the guy is and how good the Sixers are going to be for a long time.
