Joel Embiid's 51-point performance marks his 12th consecutive game with at least 30 points and 10 or more rebounds.
Joel Embiid cannot be stopped.
Playing against the top-rated defensive team in the NBA, the reigning Kia MVP continued his recent tear by scoring a season-high 51 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 127-113 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This marks Embiid’s 12th consecutive game with 30 or more points and 10-plus rebounds, the NBA’s longest streak since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it in 16 straight games for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1971-72 season.
The only players to have 12 or more consecutive games of 30-10 in NBA history besides Embiid and Abdul-Jabbar are fellow Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Walt Bellamy.
“We’re winning and that’s all that matters,” Embiid said. “Stats are great and it’s great to put up stats. But if it comes with a loss, then that’s a different story. If it comes with a win, it means a lot.”
Also notable:
• Embiid tied a franchise record with his fifth consecutive game of at least 35 points, joining Chamberlain (Feb. 13-22, 1965) and Allen Iverson (April 7-14, 1997).
• This was Embiid’s 13th straight game with 30 or more points, the most by a player since his former Sixers teammate, James Harden, did it in the 2018-19 season. Harden’s streak eventually reached 32 games that season.
• Embiid has scored at least 40 points with 10 or more rebounds in three straight game. Only Chamberlain has had such a streak in 76ers franchise history.
• Embiid now has seven career 50-point games (tying Dominique Wilkins for 15th all-time) and joins Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only players with multiple 50-point games this season.
• In December, Embiid is averaging 40.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 60.8% from the field.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
