“I thought I had to be Bill Russell tonight” - Joel Embiid on turning into defensive beast in win over Memphis Grizzlies

Despite battling a nagging foot injury and a non-covid illness, Joel Embiid suited up against the Memphis Grizzlies Thursday night. He started the night off slow, but managed to come through in a big way to help the Philadelphia 76ers walk away victorious.

Joel Embiid did it all for the Sixers on Thursday night, finishing with a stat line of 27 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, one steal and an impressive six blocks. Thanks to this valiant effort, Philly was able to squeek out a 110-105 win on national TV.

After the game, Embiid talked about his play in the hard fought win. He even went on to compare himself to a legendary big man. With his shots not falling, Embiid was forced to help his team in other areas as they mounted a comeback against the Grizzlies.

"For me, like I always say, defense is more important for me than offense," Embiid said. "Even tonight, I could not make any shots, especially the one I usually make. But defensively, I thought I had to be Bill Russell tonight to be able to kind of balance it out."

Embiid's six blocks are the most he's had in a game since early November when he erased seven shots in a win over the Utah Jazz. His biggest came late in the game when he denied fellow All-Star Ja Morant at the rim.

Joel Embiid continues to bolster his MVP case this season

For the past three seasons, Joel Embiid has been one of the most dominant forces in the NBA. However, the MVP award is something that continues to elude. The Philadelphia 76ers star has finished second behind Nikola Jokic in each of the last two seasons.

Performances like this are a testament to just how valuable Embiid is to his team. Even on a night when he shot 7-for-25 from the field, he came up big in other areas to still be impactful. That late-game block erased any momentum the Grizzlies had and sealed a comeback win for the Sixers.

Both centers are incredible talents, but nights like this are what give Embiid a slight edge in the debate. While Jokic is doing things the game has never seen at the center position, he is not a two-way force. Embiid is able to dominate on both sides of the floor with elite-level rim protection.

It's going to be another tight race for MVP this year, but Embiid certainly upped his case with his showing against Memphis.