Joel Embiid in the Top 50
“By sequences, when I want, I can be Shaquille O’Neal, or Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, an offensive and technical combination of all these players. » The modesty of Joel Embiid in the text. Before the meeting finally won against Orlando by Philadelphia (123-110), Tyrese Maxey had asked his pivot what legendary costume he intended to put on that evening. Respondent’s response: “Tonight, I just replied that I would be me. » And indeed, Embiid proved to be unplayable, showing his unique panoply, and totaling 50 points, 17/23 in shooting (15/17 in free throws), as well as 12 rebounds and 3 blocks. All in… 27 minutes!
The four-time all-star became the third player in Sixers history along with Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain to make multiple 50-point games. “He has a bit of Hakeem (Olajuwon), a little of (Kevin) Garnett, said his coach Doc Rivers. Except that he can shoot 3 points… He’s a bit of all of those, but above all, he’s himself, Joel Embiid. »
Nikola Jokic (49 points) roi de la prolongation
Nikola Jokic missed the winning shot at the regulation time buzzer, and maybe it was better that way. After already a huge game at this stage, the NBA MVP reigned over the extension won (130-128) by Denver against the still very diminished LA Clippers.
After stealing a crucial ball, scraping an offensive rebound and scoring two baskets in a row, including a 2 + 1, the Serbian Nuggets pivot converted the try and a daunting triple-double (his third in a row, 49 points, 16 /25 shooting, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals) by sending, 1 second 9 from the buzzer, despite the pressure of a two-man take, a majestic pass to Aaron Gordon (28 points), who killed the game on a 3 point shot.
Denver (23-20) clings to 6th place in the Western Conference, the Clippers – without Batum on Wednesday – are 9th (22-24).
Luka Doncic (41 points) en mode Mozart
A penetration lay-up then a 3-point shot in forty seconds. That’s what it took for Dallas to regain control for good against the eye-catching Raptors (96-95 for Toronto less than 2 minutes from the buzzer, 102-98 in the end). Both decisive plays were delivered by Mavericks leader Luka Doncic. But this was only the conclusion of a capital evening for the leader, who finds, at the same time as his team, little by little his best level.
The “Slovenian Mozart”, like Embiid and Jokic, ended the evening with more than 40 points on the clock (41, his highest total this season), passing a breath of triple-double (14 rebounds, 7 assists), while that Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points and 7 rebounds. Dallas has a fourth victory, its tenth in eleven games (5th in the West with 26 wins for 19 losses), before a clash against the current NBA leader, Phoenix, which promises to be thrilling.
