Dominant scoring nights are becoming routine for Sixers’ Joel Embiid

What’s working well for Joel Embiid?

The 76ers center has scored 30 or more points in 12 of his first 18 games. He is averaging 33.3 points after scoring 53 in Sunday’s 131-113 victory over Charlotte Hornets at the Wells Fargo Center.

Embiid is not qualified to be among the NBA’s scoring leaders because he has not played in at least 70% of the Sixers’ games. But he’s close, having played in 69.2% of his team’s first 26 games. And if he keeps up this pace, he’ll likely be on pace for his second straight scoring title.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić is the scoring leader at 32.9 points, followed by Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.9) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30.8).

But Embiid displayed his dominance by making 20 of 32 shots along with 12 rebounds and one block against the Hornets (7-20).

This effort was far from surprising, as Embiid showed that he might be the league’s most unstoppable player by dropping 101 points inside 24 hours in victories over the Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz on Nov. 12 and 13.

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He had 59 along with 11 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks in the Sixers’ 105-98 victory over the Jazz on Nov. 13. Twenty-six points and five blocks came in the fourth quarter. Embiid also has had four games of at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists this season.

And he’s the only NBA player with multiple 50-point performances this season.

So what’s working well for the five-time All-Star?

“I don’t know,” he said. “Just trying to dominate every single game, both offensively and defensively.

“I think I’m a better player than I was the last year or two. You can see with the stats and stuff. And I think I just feel so much better. It just feels like the game has really slowed down.”

Embiid is also averaging 9.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.6 blocks, and 4.3 turnovers. Last season, Embiid averaged 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 3.1 turnovers.

“I’ve seen everything on the basketball court as far as guys guarding me,” Embiid said. “But I’m not perfect. I still make a lot of mistakes. But that comes with the burden of trying to make things happen. I haven’t been able to take care of the ball the way that I want to. I’ve got to do a better job of that.”

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Embiid committed a season-high seven turnovers Friday in a 133-122 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. That came after he turned the ball over five times in a 132-123 double-overtime loss to the Houston Rockets.

“I have a long way to go as a player and a teammate,” he said. “But I feel good. I just feel like every single day, trying to come in and learn something new. Seeing the way every single team guards me from night to night, try to adjust and try to do it on the fly. And I feel like that’s been a big change.”

James Harden has 6,522 assists after finishing with 18 points, 16 assists and nine rebounds against the Hornets. He joins Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook as the only players in NBA history to accumulate 23,000 points and 6,500 assists.