Fifty-nine points, eleven rebounds, eight assists and seven blocks: against Utah on Sunday night, Joel Embiid signed the greatest performance of his career. The Cameroonian pivot thus enters a little more in the history of the NBA. L’Equipe has also returned on the career of the Sixers’ colossus in some figures.
1. Forever the first
Joel Embiid is the first player to finish a game with at least 50 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and blocks since contests were counted in the NBA in 1973.
2. Among the Sixers legends
Apart from the Cameroonian, only two players in the history of Philadelphia have finished at least one game with 59 points or more: Wilt Chamberlain (three times: 68, 65 and 62 in the 1960s) and Allen Iverson (60 in 2005).
the buzz around Embiid. 🐝 pic.twitter.com/qYCAYl0N9I
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 15, 2022
3. At the table with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Bradley Beal
Since the NBA went to 20-plus teams in 1976, only three players had scored more than 100 points in back-to-back games (two games in 24 hours): Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Bradley Beal. Embiid, who scored 42 points against Atlanta on Saturday and 59 against Utah on Sunday, is the fourth.
4. More than 20 points and 5 counters in a quarter
Embiid managed five of his seven counters in the last quarter alone. He became the first player in over twenty-five years to finish a quarter with more than 20 points and five blocks.
5. Half of his team’s points (56%) on his own
Embiid scored more than half of his team’s points (56%) against the Jazz. Except for Tyrese Maxey (18 points), all of his partners scored 8 units or less.
historic night. pic.twitter.com/YW0nELDi08
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 14, 2022
6. Embiid just misses the “60 Club
Despite his XXL performance against Utah, Joel Embiid certainly did not miss to join, for one point, the “60 club” (active players having finished at least one game with 60 points). He will still have to wait before finding himself in this restricted circle: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, James Harden, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, Bradley Beal, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyrie Irving and Carmelo Anthony.
