Joel Embiid Drops 101 Points In Two Games For The Philadelphia 76ers In NBA Action

After scoring 101 points within 27 hours, is it too early to throw Joel Embiid’s name in the hat for the greatest big man in Philadelphia 76ers history? He certainly is in the conversation. Keep in mind the Sixers boast all-time centers, namely Wilt Chamberlain and Moses Malone, to name a few.

The Cameroonian born, Embiid, put up season high and career high statistics in back-to-back performances. The eight-year veteran scored a season high 42 points against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, before he anted up and scored a career high 59 points on Sunday, in a 105-98 win against the Utah Jazz.

Embiid became the first player in NBA history to score at least 50 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and finish the game with five blocks.

This 59-point outing from Embiid is now is the fifth highest scoring game in 76ers history. The Philadelphia 2014 first round pick's performance Sunday, trail's only Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (68, 65, 62) and Allen Iverson (60) performance.

The 76ers improve to 7-7 and can expect Embiid to be a candidate in the 2022-2023 Most Valuable Player race. The great back-to-back performances by Embiid can be described as impressive, considering the slow start to his professional career.

The former Kansas Jayhawk was sidelined by a broken navicular bone in his foot in 2014 which knocked him out of playing in his rookie season. His chances of playing the following year in his sophomore season were also ruled unlikely, following a second round of surgery on the same foot a year later.

Since then, Embiid has not missed a step, averaging a double-double in his last five seasons, and is on pace to do so again. The 2022 NBA scoring champion’s back-to-back performances has helped the 7'2" center make a case as the front-runner for the 2023 NBA MVP award. Embiid missed the opportunity to hoist up the trophy two seasons ago, where he finished as the runner-up behind Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic.

The 76ers improve to 7-7, as they fight to remain relevant in the Eastern Conference, a lukewarm start to the season, considering the 76ers were in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals less than a year ago.

Currently, the 76ers are 3rd in the Atlantic division.