- Embiid made 24 field goals and 21 free throws in the career-high evening
- The reigning NBA MVP is well on his way to repeating as the league’s best player
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Joel Embiid scored 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, his career high.
The 70-point effort is also a franchise record, passing Wilt Chamberlain. All of Chamberlain’s 70-plus point performances came with the Warriors.
The 76ers defeated the Spurs 133-123, with Embiid shooting 24-for-41 from the field.
Embiid added 21-of-23 free throws to hit the elusive 70-point milestone.
Among active players, only Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell have scored more in a game, with both hitting 71 last year.
Embiid scored a dazzling career-high 70 points on Monday against the San Antonio Spurs
Before the game started, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich knew Victor Wembanyama, his star rookie center, could be in for a long night against a prime veteran like Embiid.
So, instead, Popovich decided to make a hysterical joke.
‘We’re going to hammer his a**,’ Popvich joked about Embiid. ‘I told Wemby to stick him. Put you butt right in his stomach, back him down over the rim and just throw him threw the rim. That’s what you can look forward to tonight.’
Obviously, that didn’t happen, although Wembanyama did score an impressive 33 points when drawing one of the toughest defensive assignments of his career.
After the win, Embiid was doused with water by his teammates.
Embiid is in the middle of another MVP-caliber season, averaging 35 points and 11.4 rebounds per game coming into Monday’s win.
Timberwolves’ star Karl-Anthony Towns scored 62 points Monday night, in a losing effort to Charlotte.
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