On Sunday, Joel Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 105-98 victory over the shocking Utah Jazz, putting on possibly the best performance of his career.
The 28-year-old nearly recorded a quadruple-double after tallying a staggering 59 points, which was more than half of what his team managed, in addition to 11 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocked shots.
As the only player to record 50 points, 10 boards, five rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in a single game since blocks became an official statistic in 1973, it was a dominant performance that cemented his place in the annals of NBA history.
He also had the fifth-best scoring performance in 76ers history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Allen Iverson, who now hold the top three slots.
After the game, Embiid told reporters, “Those are two legends that played here and that I respect a lot.”
I still have a long way to go, but being in that company means a lot to me.
For Embiid, who also scored 42 points in the Sixers’ victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, it is an unparalleled weekend.
His demolition job is all the more spectacular given that he was last week’s sickness recovery.
Embiid thanked his squad for the help, saying, “My teammates recognised who had the hot hand and they just had to feed me.”
In a strong fourth quarter, where he scored 26 of his team’s 27 points, Embiid demonstrated how in charge he was feeling on Sunday.
When defence and offence are combined, “I’ve never seen a more dominating performance,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers told the press.
After some much-needed recuperation, Embiid will get the chance to carry on his absurd scoring streak against the Milwaukee Bucks and their NBA-best record on Friday.
Tyrese Maxey, Embiid’s teammate, had the appropriate response when questioned about the player’s current performance.
After the game on Sunday, he told reporters, “Joel Embiid is a very excellent basketball player.
More in Sports: https://buzzing.today/sports/
Photo credits: https://www.wikipedia.org/