Back from injury, Joel Embiid did not drag to send heavy and it was the unfortunate Pistons who took dearly (147-116). A look back at the latest carnage from the Sixers MVP candidate.
For the detailed score box of this one-sided match, it’s here.
After three games on the sidelines due to injury, Joel Embiid was obviously keen to heal his comeback this night in the City of Brotherly Love. The punching bag was ideal in front: Pistons at the bottom of the hole and stripped of several players. Neither one nor two, Jojo has therefore done what he does best: reign over the racket on both sides of the field and give nightmares to opposing interiors.
There, in this case, it is Nerlens Noel who had a bad time. Detroit being under-equipped, the meeting was not really suspenseful but Embiid still had time to blacken the sheet properly: 36 points, 11 rebounds at 12/20 shooting and a perfect 11/11 on the line, all in… 24 minutes. Rather in a hurry the guy! Something to impress once once more all NBA observers, even the most glorious.
I’m so happy to see MVP candidate Joel Embiid returned tonight scoring 36 points and 11 rebounds in the Sixers victory over the Pistons.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 11, 2023
A new MVP performance therefore for a boy who will obviously be in the conversation when putting the envelope in the ballot box in a few months (with Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum in particular). At his side, James Harden slams a big triple-double (16 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds) in 26 minutes.
Small notable point of this evening in Philadelphia, the fact that the Sixers are finally complete! For the first time since October 29 and a game once morest Chicago, Doc Rivers was able to field his five-type on the court (Maxey-Harden-Harris-Tucker-Embiid). This bodes well for the rest of the season for the Sixers, currently fifth in the East but only three and a half games behind the first place Celtics.
Joel Embiid hadn’t played for three games and his legs were visibly antsy tonight once morest Detroit. The Process will not have taken long to find its marks in the paint.