Can we just give the MVP trophy to Joel Embiid right now? The Philadelphia 76ers handed the Chicago Bulls a heavy beating on Sunday night, 119-108, as Embiid put on another dominant showing.
The All-Star behemoth finished with 40 points on 10-of-23 field goal shooting, 10 rebounds, and two blocks, carrying the Sixers to survive the 45-point explosion of Bulls star DeMar DeRozan.
Embiid is on a juggernaut stretch, scoring at least 25 points for the 20th consecutive game. He also notched his seventh 40-point performance this season. But despite his MVP play, he's far from satisfied, saying the Sixers need to be more consistent (via ESPN).
Article Continues Below“We've beaten a few of those top teams. Also, we dropped games that we shouldn't have, so it goes both ways. We're right there. And I've been saying it—for us to have a chance, we have to be perfect. I have to do what I've been doing, be that dominant and maybe even more.”
The remarks of Embiid, now the NBA's leading scorer, should only entice Brooklyn Nets star James Harden to join the Sixers. He is once again being linked to a swap involving Ben Simmons, and the talks have only gotten louder as the NBA trade deadline looms.
Teaming up with Embiid is a terrific proposition for Harden, who has admitted that he's thirsty for an NBA ring. With the way things are going with the Nets, jumping ship to the Sixers could be a wise move. But of course, that's out of his hands.