Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers have gotten off to a blazing start to the 2023-24 season. After dropping their first contest to the Milwaukee Bucks on the road, the Sixers have since won six straight games, and Embiid has looked the part of the reining MVP of the league.

In fact, so dominant has been Embiid's start that he's already made a bit of history with his statistical categories. Embiid recently became just the fifth player in NBA history to record averages of at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists throughout his first eight games of a season, per ESPN Stats & Info. The other players to record the feat are Giannis Antetokounmpo (2017-18 and 2022-23), DeMarcus Cousins (2017-2018), Elgin Baylor (1968-69), and Jerry West (1961-62).

Joel Embiid's ability to dominate regular season action has never been the subject of debate. Embiid was so successful in last year's regular season that he took home MVP honors at the year's conclusion. However, as Sixers fans are well aware, the team has yet to advance past the second round of the playoffs during the entirety of Embiid's career, despite having three different Game 7 opportunities to do so.

The most recent such opportunity occurred this past season, in which Embiid and his then-teammate James Harden both flamed out in a crushing loss to the Boston Celtics. Harden of course has since been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, it's up to Embiid and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey to help lead Philadelphia through a vaunted Eastern Conference playoff picture this season.