Sixers’ Joel Embiid named Eastern Conference player of the week
Embiid averaged 40.7 points on 58.1% shooting to go along with 12 rebounds and 6.0 assists as the 76ers went 2-1 last week.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Joel Embiid was named the NBA Eastern Conference player of the week on Tuesday.
He averaged 40.7 points on 58.1% shooting to go along with 12 rebounds and 6.0 assists as the 76ers went 2-1 last week.
His highlight was finishing with 51 points and 12 rebounds in a 127-113 victory over Minnesota on last Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Embiid showed why he’s the reigning MVP by dominating on both sides of the ball.
Tuesday marked the 13th career Player of the Week honor for Embiid. Only Hall of Famer Allen Iverson has more with the Sixers (20).
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Embiid is first in the NBA in scoring (35.0 points per game), fifth in rebounds (11.7), and ninth in blocks (2.0).
Averaging his 35 points in 34.2 minutes, Embiid is on pace to join Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA players since the 1954-55 season to finish with more points than minutes played. Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points in 48.5 minutes for the Philadelphia Warriors during the 1961-62 season.
If Embiid played the 48.5 minutes that Chamberlain played, he would be averaging 49.9 points.
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Meanwhile, Memphis guard Ja Morant was named Western Conference Player of the Week.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, Miami’s Tyler Herro, Boston’s Derrick White, and Atlanta’s Trae Young were the East’s nominees.
The West nominees were Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lakers’ LeBron James, Denver’s Jamal Murray, and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis.