PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid doesn’t have to emulate some other NBA star.
He proved Wednesday night time that he’s in a category on his personal.
Embiid tied his profession excessive with 50 factors in simply 27 minutes, main a dominant third quarter that carried the Philadelphia 76ers to a 123-110 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Embiid additionally had 12 rebounds and three blocks whereas making 17 of 23 area objectives and 15 of 17 free throws. The four-time All-Star and MVP candidate performed simply 58 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Earlier than the sport, teammate Tyrese Maxey requested Embiid: “Who you going to be tonight? Shaq (O’Neal)? Dirk (Nowitzki)?”
“(He mentioned) ‘I’m going to be Joel,’” Maxey mentioned. “(I mentioned) ‘You go be Joel.’ And that’s what he did.”
“I mentioned me,” Embiid mentioned, “as a result of at occasions every time I need I’m in a position to be Shaq, every time I need I’m additionally in a position to be Dirk, or Kobe (Bryant) or MJ (Michael Jordan), or any guards actually, that means taking pictures off the dribble, or pull-ups, or ball-handling, only a mixture of every part offensively.”
Embiid joined Corridor of Famers Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain as the one gamers in membership historical past with a number of video games of fifty factors or extra, whereas getting not less than 50 factors and 10 rebounds within the fewest minutes of any NBA participant since 1955, in line with Elias.
“That was straightforward, fast, environment friendly and decided,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers mentioned. “He’s a bit little bit of (Hakeem) Olajuwon and a bit little bit of (Kevin) Garnett. It’s a heck of a mix if you may get it. However the distinction is he can exit to the 3-point line, which units him aside. He’s Joel Embiid; he’s not any of these guys. He’s his personal man.”
Philadelphia was booed off the court docket at halftime, trailing 57-47. However the 76ers got here out decided after the break, utilizing a 17-6 run over the primary 5:05. Embiid lastly bought some assist from his teammates in the course of the spurt, as Maxey drained a pair of 3-pointers.
Embiid, who entered averaging 27.3 factors, took over from there, scoring in quite a lot of methods in a panoramic third quarter that matched his equally stellar first quarter. He introduced the followers roaring to their toes when he made a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left within the quarter that gave Philadelphia its largest result in that time, 92-80.
“I’m making an attempt to play at one of the best stage doable I can, and that’s being one of the best participant on this planet,” Embiid mentioned. “And for us to win I've to be that man each single night time.”
It gave Embiid 47 factors for the sport and 23 within the third quarter alone by which he shot 8 of 10. The star heart opened the competition by draining 8 of 10 photographs in a 20-point first quarter that helped the 76ers to a 25-21 benefit.
“He was simply unbelievable from the beginning,” Rivers mentioned. “Simply dominant in each manner. Each shot was the best shot.”
Tobias Harris added 21 factors for the 76ers, who've received 9 of 11. Philadelphia started play sixth within the East however simply 2 ½ video games out of the highest spot.
Mo Bamba set profession highs with 32 factors and 7 3-pointers for Orlando. The rebuilding Magic dropped to an NBA-worst 8-38 with their third straight loss and thirteenth defeat within the final 14 video games.
Regardless of the defeat, Orlando continues to take a big-picture, optimistic method to participant improvement.
“Optimistic power is extraordinarily priceless,” mentioned Magic assistant coach Jesse Mermuys, who stuffed in for head coach Jamahl Mosley (well being and security protocols) for the second straight recreation.
Embiid was dominant within the first quarter however the remainder of the 76ers mixed for simply 5 factors on 2-for-11 taking pictures. And it caught as much as them within the second quarter. The Magic scored 11 of the ultimate 14 factors to open a 10-point benefit after Embiid went to the bench with three fouls with 3:07 remaining.
Bamba completed with 28 factors and made 7 of 8 3-pointers within the opening half, simply bettering his earlier profession highs in scoring (22 factors) and made 3-pointers (5).
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