After having one of the best games of his basketball life, Joel Embiid is filled with praise and support from the Philadelphia 76ers brass.
Embiid, in just 27 minutes of action, tied his career-high in points with 50 to go along with 12 rebounds to spearhead the Sixers to a 123-110 dub over the Orlando Magic. More than that, his exposure within the court is the second-fewest played in a 50-point output in the NBA shot clock era, with Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors occupying the top position wherein the shooting guard sizzled for 52 points in almost 27 minutes last 2018.
“My teammates just found me,” Embiid said, following his performance for the ages. “And I did the rest … It’s all about playing the right way. The ball is always going to find me. These guys have a hell of a lot of trust in me, and they’re always looking for me.”
Sixers coach Doc Rivers was amazed at how the franchise big man managed to produce such huge numbers in just a limited time. He even claimed that Embiid’s showing reminds him of a little Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Garnett – two of the greatest frontcourt titans to ever grace the court.
“I played with (Basketball Hall of Famer) Dominque (Wilkins), and I don’t know if I’ve seen that. I’ve seen Dominque score more, but it took the whole game,” Rivers said. “That was easy, quick, efficient and determined.”
“He’s a little bit Olajuwon and a little bit Garnett – that’s a heck of a combination. … I said it before that I knew he was good when I got here but I didn’t know he could do all this.”
Meanwhile, teammates Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris have separated positive comments of their own for Embiid, who received MVP chants in the dying seconds of the Wednesday victory.
The Sixers will continue to defend their homestand and climb in the Eastern Conference ranking as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers will travel to Pennsylvania on Friday for a marquee showdown.
