Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid always had the potential to be great. This season, however, he has taken a giant leap, so much so that players from other teams are taking notice. The 76ers beat the Charlotte Hornets, 118-111 earlier today and Hornets forward Miles Bridges had nothing but respect for Embiid.
He said the way Embiid is playing this season makes him essentially unguardable, per Sixers beat reporter Kyle Neubeck. For Bridges, the big man from Cameroon is his best bet for MVP.
Miles Bridges was asked about how to deal with Joel Embiid defensively when he is making threes. Bridges said Embiid is “unguardable” in that state and “the top MVP candidate right now”
(H/t the homie @JacobRude on the full quote) pic.twitter.com/DcI89gKdaK
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) February 4, 2021
Bridges and the Hornets were on the receiving end of a dominant Embiid, posting 34 points, 11 boards, two assists, two, steals, and a block. He sank 3-of-5 from long range and was an efficient 61 percent from the field. Such performances have been common for the 26-year-old big man this season.
The three-time All-Star is a force to be reckoned with on both ends, leading the Sixers to a 16-6 record, tops in the Eastern Conference. After an underwhelming campaign last season, he's averaging a career-high 29.8 points per game this year, on top of 11.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks.
His only real drawback is his injury history, which is one of the reasons why the Sixers need to rest him for some games. Although coach Doc Rivers has already said he doesn't plan to sit out Embiid that much.
If Bridges is proven right and Joel Embiid does snag the MVP plum against the likes of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic, it would be the first time since Shaquille O'Neal in the 1999-2000 season that a true center won the trophy.
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