:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70455015/1238071559.5.jpg)
Joel Embiid has been absolutely dominant over the last couple of months. He’s powered the Sixers’ to a 30-19 record, and after leading them to a perfect 3-0 week, he’s been named as a deserving winner of the latest Eastern Conference Player of the Week award.
Chris Paul received the honor for the Western Conference.
Over the last three games, Embiid averaged 34.7 points with a 61.6 true shooting percentage, 11.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 blocks.
He got things started last week with his sixth 40-point, 10-rebound game of the season (which is more than anyone else in the NBA), lifting the Sixers to a 117-107 win against the Pelicans. Embiid recorded 42 points (shooting 12-of-24 from the field and 18-of-20 from the free throw line), 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks.
Embiid’s quietest scoring outing of the week came against the Lakers, when he still tallied 26 points to go along with seven assists. It was his passing that stood out most against L.A., as he directed teammates into open looks from the double teams sent his way, set up cutters effectively, and kept the ball swinging around the perimeter to create plenty of open three-pointers.
Really good passing game for Joel Embiid against the Lakers this week -- nice passes to cutters, timely reads out of double teams, and a bunch of hockey assists from the post to help create open looks.
— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) January 29, 2022
Also lots more helpful activity from Matisse Thybulle as a cutter. pic.twitter.com/vLZSTcNb3q
To bring the week to a close, Embiid bounced back from a quiet first half against the Kings with just 12 points and one made field goal to finish with 36 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. It’s remarkable how routinely Embiid is putting together these 30-point outings, even when he struggles for a half or doesn’t seem to be at his best by his incredibly high standards.
He’s now scored at least 30 points in all but two games since Christmas, averaging 34.2 a night in this 17-game stretch to go along with the best playmaking of his career.
After playing the last 21 games, Embiid is sitting out against the Grizzlies on Monday for some well-earned rest. When he’s back in action, likely in the Sixers’ next game on Wednesday against Washington, he’ll surely pick up exactly where he left off and continue to make his increasingly strong MVP case.
Loading comments...