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Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, had such a dominant performance in a 124-115 win over the visiting Houston Rockets on Monday after returning from an injury that Kevin Durant showered praise on the 76ers star during the game.
Embiid dominated as if he had never been gone for three games. He had 41 points in just 31 minutes. The two-time scoring champion made 12 of 21 shots and also notched 10 rebounds and three assists.
Showing appreciation, Durant praised Embiid on X. Alluding to Embiid's quick 30 points in just three quarters, Durant tweeted:
“All joel need is 3 quarters. Thats funny.”
The 76ers led by 21 points through the first three quarters, and by that time, Embiid had already put up massive numbers. He had 33 points on 9-for-17 shooting, with one block and one steal in just 26 minutes as Philadelphia led 98-77.
Joel Embiid might win his back-to-back MVP
Joel Embiid might be going for his second back-to-back MVP this season. The 76ers star is averaging 34.6 points per game, 11.8 rebounds, and six assists per game in 27 games.
He is shooting 53.5%, including 36.0% from beyond the arc. What he has been doing this season is just a higher version of him in the last season.
The Philadelphia 76ers (25-13) are third in the Eastern Conference. Embiid’s presence on the floor is massive, at least on offense. When he is on the floor, the 76ers are outscoring opponents by 12.6 points, which is outstanding.
He and Tyrese Maxey have willed Philadelphia into being one of the league's top contenders. After James Harden demanded to be traded before this season, the wider narrative considered the 76ers done this season. However, Embiid has stepped up, giving his team a chance this season.
One of the things that falls against Embiid in comparison to other MVP candidates like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic is the number of games he has played. He has already missed 10 games this season and might miss more considering his history with injuries. If he misses more than seven, he won't meet the new league standards to qualify for awards.
