This is what Joel Embiid has come to expect.
The 76ers’ center was far from doing cartwheels Saturday night after joining Wilt Chamberlain as the players in franchise history with a 40-point triple-double. Instead, he was just elated to bounce back from what he called a “bad game.”
The “bad game” he was referring to was Friday night’s 25-point, 19-rebound, five-block effort in Friday’s 100-87 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center. While Embiid had an off-shooting night, going 8-for-25, it is hard to imagine a 25-19-5 stat line being subpar.
But he definitely made up for that on Saturday, finishing with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in just 32 minutes, 46 seconds in a 103-93 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
When he left the floor with 3:08 left in the game, just after scoring his 40th point on a free throw, the Sixers were up, 103-85.
As a result, Embiid joined new teammate James Harden as the only players in NBA history since 1960 to record a 40-point triple-double in 33 or fewer minutes.
Embiid has now scored 30 or more points in 25 of the 44 games he’s played this season. It was the eighth time that he’s produced at least 40 points. It was also his second triple.
Are 40-point performances becoming the norm for the MVP frontrunner?
“Every single night, I have to be dominant in different ways,” Embiid said. “We always talk about offense, but I really care about our defense. As you know, one of my main goals is to be the defensive player of the year.”
Embiid felt like he and the Sixers (34-22) have been putting more emphasis on the defensive end of the floor, especially of late. His squad ranks eighth in the league in defensive efficiency (1.056) and third (0.977) over the last three games.
“Offensively, nowadays, it seems like if I don’t have 30 or whatever it seems like a bad game,” Embiid said. “But I’ve just got to play basketball the right way, just like I was saying [Friday] night. It’s all about making the right plays.
“You know, finding my teammates, looking to score, and just being aggressive.”
He has extended his streak of scoring at least 25 points in a game to 23 straight, which leaves him four games away from tying Hall of Famer Allen Iverson’s franchise record.
Embiid said he’s honored to join Chamberlain as the only Sixers with the special triple-double. Chamberlain had 53 points, 32 rebounds, and 14 assists against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 18, 1968.
“He’s got all the records,” Embiid said of Chamberlain. “But it’s good, gotta keep going. That’s who I had to be. That’s how dominant I had to be [Saturday].
“Obviously, I’m always trying to make the right plays, offensively. But my main [thing is] when I catch the ball is always to score first and you know passing is secondary.”
But if Embiid keeps up this pace, he’ll be the first center to win the scoring title since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. He’ll also become the first Sixer to win it since Iverson in 2005.
Embiid leads the league in scoring at 29.5 points with 26 games remaining. LeBron James is second with 28.97, while Giannis Antetokounmpo is third at 28.95.
“It is possible,” Embiid said of capturing the first scoring title by a center since the beginning of the century. “But you have to play, you have to do whatever it takes to win. … I know my role, and it’s to go out there and dominate. I’m going to get the ball a lot and I’m going to make things happen.”
The acquisition of Harden, via Thursday’s trade with the Brooklyn Nets, could lead to Embiid getting easier scoring opportunities.
Embiid noted winning the scoring title would be a big accomplishment even though he doesn’t consider himself a big man. That’s because he fancies himself as a 7-foot-2 and “500-pound” guard.
“But I’m just looking forward to going out there the remaining 26 games and just go out there and keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Embiid said, “just dominating.”
