On Monday night, Joel Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, setting a franchise record with 70 points—the most in the NBA this season.
Embiid recorded a career-high 18 rebounds as well. He made 21 of 23 free throws and was 24 of 41 from the field, including 1 of 2 from 3-point range. With 1:41 remaining, he made a layup to surpass Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain’s 76ers record of 68 points, which was set on December 16, 1967.
Furthermore, he made NBA history by being the first player to record 70 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists.
When Chamberlain hit the NBA record with 100 points, he was a player for the Philadelphia Warriors.
Embiid, the current MVP of the league and a six-time All-Star, has scored at least 30 points in 21 straight games, making him the ninth player in NBA history to score 70 or more points in a single contest. The 76ers are on a six-game winning streak.
In the first meeting between the 7-footers, rookie Victor Wembanyama finished with 33 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes of play. The Spurs, who are rebuilding, lost 5-19 away from home.
Embiid claimed that facing Wembanyama each night gave him more motivation for his goal.
“That’s my mindset every single game, but I wouldn’t sit here and lie to you,” Embiid said in the post-game interview on the local TV station. “Tonight was no different from my usual mindset of attacking and dominating both offensively and defensively.”
Leave a Reply