The Process is making a statement! After a 41-point performance against the Houston Rockets, Joel Embiid comes up big again, but this time against rival big man Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
In a battle between the two MVPs, Embiid came up on top, defeating the Denver Nuggets 123-113 on Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center.
Despite Jokic's spectacular 25-point and 19-rebound effort, Embiid dropped 41 points with ten assists and seven rebounds against the reigning NBA Champion.
Embiid put the team on his back in the fourth quarter, scoring ten of his 41 points in the game's closing minutes to seal the win.
It was another excellent performance in a string of solid performances for the Process as he continues to build his case for another MVP.
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Embiid For MVP Again?
Joel Embiid won the NBA MVP Award last season by leading the Philadelphia Sixers to 54 wins while averaging 33.1 points per game to go with 10 rebounds on shooting 54% from the field.
He is building a solid case to go back-to-back on MVPs as Joel is averaging 35.1 points and 11 rebounds per game so far this season.
Last night's game marked Embiid's eighth 40-point game of the season so far, and also marked his 15th scoring 30 points or more. You would have to go back to Nov 17 for the last time the Process failed to reach the 30-point mark.
Embiid and Jokic have been one and two in the MVP race for the last three seasons. With Jokic leading the pack this season for MVP as odd makers currently have Jokic at +240 to win it, according to Action Network.
However, after Embiid's strong performance, the Sixers center may still have a chance to close the gap for MVP.
Both teams will face off against each other again on Jan 27, this time in Denver. Embiid hasn't played a road game in the Mile High City for three seasons. If he suits up and has another monster performance, it's likely that Embiid takes the number one spot from Jokic.
This year's race has other strong candidates, including Oklahoma City Thunders Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is having an excellent season for a Thunder team that surpasses expectations as one of the best in the West.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is another candidate putting up monster numbers for an excellent Milwaukee Bucks team.
Are The Philadelphia Sixers World Champion Material?
The Sixers are looking to make it to the finals for the first time since 2001 and win their first NBA Championship since 1983.
The last couple of seasons have been full of post-season collapses in the second round of the playoffs that have kept Embiid and the city of Philadelphia away from being potentially crowned champions.
Last season's crushing defeat to the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals was the latest in playoff losses for Embiid and the Philly crew.
Despite their post season reputation, the Sixers could likely win it all this season. They have a roster full of proven veterans along with a coach in Nick Nurse who has championship experience after taking the Toronto Raptors to the finals in 2019.
Point guard Tyrese Maxey is having an all-star season, averaging 26.7 points per game along with 6.7 assists. The Sixers also added quality rotational players from the James Harden trade, bringing in key role players like Nic Batum, Marcus Morris, and Robert Covington.
But Philadelphia would need to go through proven threats like the Celtics and Bucks, both teams who have had the Sixers number over the past couple seasons.
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