Putting your name in the NBA record books alongside Wilt Chamberlain is about as good as it gets for an NBA player. Joel Embiid has done that before and did it again with his 70-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs recently.
Now Embiid is on pace to join Chamberlain with one of his most impressive records. One that was once believed to be untouchable.
Embiid is averaging 36.0 points per game this season. He’s doing that in 32.0 minutes. Only Chamberlain averaged more points than minutes played in a season.
Chamberlain set that mark by averaging an unbelievable 50.4 points per game in 48.5 minutes during the 1961-62 season. Chamberlain’s numbers are mind-boggling in today’s NBA of player resting policies.
Embiid already joined Chamberlain as the only two players in NBA history to score 40 points and have 10 rebounds in three straight games when he did that in mid-December.
There are only four players who have had 30 points and 10 rebounds in 12 straight games.
Players with 30 points, 10 rebounds in 12 straight games
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Elgin Baylor
- Walt Bellamy
- Joel Embiid
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Joel Embiid could be shut out of the NBA MVP award
The only thing that will prevent Embiid from winning the NBA MVP this season if he continues at his current pace is that he will have missed too many games.
New NBA rules say players must appear in 65 games for MVP consideration. Embiid has played in 32 of the 76ers’ 42 games this season and is on pace to play around 60 games. He can’t miss more than five games the rest of the way to be in line for the award.
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