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Tobias Harris touts Joel Embiid as an MVP candidate after another dominant 40-point performance vs. Celtics

Embiid's stellar play is a major reason the Sixers beat the Celtics on Thursday and lead the Eastern Conference with a 10-5 record.

Sixers center Joel Embiid celebrates with forward Tobias Harris and guard Ben Simmons during Wednesday's win against the Celtics.
Sixers center Joel Embiid celebrates with forward Tobias Harris and guard Ben Simmons during Wednesday's win against the Celtics.Read moreChris Szagola / AP

The Joel Embiid-for-MVP campaign has begun with 76ers teammate Tobias Harris serving as Embiid’s unofficial campaign manager.

Harris was asked how cool it is to see “Embiid playing in sort of an MVP-caliber run” after Embiid’s 42 points powered the Sixers to a 117-109 win against the Boston Celtics. The contest Wednesday night marked the second time in three games the All-Star center recorded at least 42 points and 10 rebounds.

“Well, it’s not sort of,” Harris said. “It’s for sure an MVP caliber. Night after night, he controls the game, controls the paint. More than anything, defensively he is just a force for us.”

Embiid, an anchor of the Sixers’ defense, averages a career-best 1.4 steals, plus 1.4 blocks. He’s also recorded 26.4 points and 11.3 rebounds (7th in the NBA) per game and a career-best 36.8 three-point shooting percentage.

“I think [Embiid is] for sure putting on an MVP year,” Harris said. “And one of the biggest things is that we continue to sustain [our success] game after game. ... But I’m happy for him, because this is what he put in. When you win and are successful as a team, you get that type of notoriety for sure.”

At 10-5, the Sixers have the Eastern Conference’s best record. The Bucks are a half-game behind at 9-5 entering Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Milwaukee. The Celtics (8-5), whom the Sixers host again Friday night, are in third place.

A lot of Philly’s success is directly attributed to Embiid. For proof, look at their 0-3 record in games played without him. His most dominant performance came against the Miami Heat on Jan. 12. Both teams were shorthanded because of injuries and players out due to the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Embiid finished with 45 points, 16 rebounds, and a career-best five steals in the 137-134 overtime victory. On Wednesday, he had the 42 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

As a result, the 26-year-old joined Washington Wizards standout Bradley Beal as the only players with multiple 40-point performances this season. Embiid is the only player with multiple 40-and-10 games this season. He also tied Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham for the third-most 40-point, 10-rebound performances in team history with 10. Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (31) and Charles Barkley (13) are the only Sixers with more.

New coach Doc Rivers is making sure Embiid gets the ball in different spots on the court instead of primarily in the low post and mid post. The freedom to catch the ball at the free-throw line has enabled him to open his entire offensive game.

“It’s hard to guard,” Embiid said. “Teams still double- and triple-[team] me even more this year. ... It gets harder if I have to catch the ball on the block every single time. That’s an easy place to double.

“I’ve been working on my game to extend it, and not just to play like a big man, also play like a guard, being able to dribble through traffic and shoot fadeaways or pull-up jumpers. If you double, we have way too many good shooters for me to kick it out and make a good shot. So there’s a lot of freedom. I get to be myself.”

That freedom has led to Embiid’s being an early, legitimate MVP candidate.