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There aren’t enough superlatives to describe Joel Embiid at this point. The most dominant big man in the NBA scored 43 points and and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 127-124 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Embiid has quickly become this generation’s Wilt Chamberlain. It’s okay to admit he’s that good. The runner-up for MVP knocked down a 19-foot jumper to tie the game at 119, then nearly ended it at the buzzer as his fadeaway hit the backboard and rolled around the rim. Embiid scored six of Philly’s eight overtime points to close it out.
More impressively, Embiid only took 20 shots while getting to the foul line 14 times. He missed a whopping seven shots: five from the field, two from the charity stripe. The All-Star center also added seven assists to give him at least 40 points, 15 rebounds, five assists for the fourth time in his career. That’s the second-most in Sixers’ franchise history behind Chamberlain.
Embiid played 41 minutes and looked gassed when the final whistle sounded. Remember, the 280-pounder has still been feeling the lingering effects of a pretty serious battle with COVID-19. He missed nine games due to the novel coronavirus and admitted “that jawn hit me hard.” And he’s still not 100% over it.
“I’m not even close to [100 percent]. I’m still feeling it,” Embiid told Alaa Abdelnaby (via Serena Winters) during a post-game interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I get tired easily, feel pretty weak. Every single day, slowly getting better. So I just got to keep pushing myself. My teammates, they push me.”
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Tobias Harris Marvels at Embiid’s Play
Embiid carried the Sixers for the second straight game after dropping 28 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against Atlanta. His jumper with 42.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter clinched that one. What he’s doing right now is incredible, something not lost on his thankful teammates.
“He’s dominant. The way that he impacts the game offensively, he’s a shot-maker,” said forward Tobias Harris, via Lauren Rosen. “He’s the guy that we go to when we need a bucket and he delivers for us.”
But the Sixers are going to need some other guys to step up if they want to climb up the standings. Harris scored 21 points versus Charlotte and was the only other scoring option. He also tended to disappear in key moments. Meanwhile, Danny Green (nine points, 3-of-7) and Seth Curry (six points, 3-of-11) really struggled.
Tyrese Maxey Out with Non-COVID Illness
Philadelphia can’t catch a break with the injury or flu bug this season. The Sixers ruled starting point guard Tyrese Maxey out about an hour prior to tip-off with a non-COVID illness. Shake Milton drew the start and drilled four 3-pointers before finishing with 16 points. Furkan Korkmaz also saw took a turn running the point position.
Remember, Harris sat out Saturday’s game against Atlanta with the flu. He saw 41 minutes in his first game back and scored 21 points. The Sixers (13-11) get one day off before a scheduled rematch in Charlotte on Wednesday, December 8. They sit seventh in the Eastern Conference.
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