Joel Embiid’s numbers were historic beyond his 59 points
The center's stat line, including 11 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks, put Embiid in the Sixers record book and the NBA ledger as well.
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Joel Embiid’s performance against the Utah Jazz on Sunday night was one of the greatest achievements a player has ever had in a 76ers uniform.
His stat line of 59 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks was historic. Besides powering the Sixers to a much-needed 105-98 win, it also put Embiid atop a few lists in not only the team record book but the NBA ledger as well.
The stat line is the first of its kind in league history since blocked shots became an official statistic in 1973. No other player has been credited with at least 50 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in a game.
His 26 points in the fourth quarter were the most in any quarter by a Sixer, breaking a tie he was a part of. Andrew Toney had 25 in the fourth quarter against Boston on March 21, 1982. And Embiid had 25 in the second quarter against Portland on Feb. 2, 2021. All three performances were at home.
His 59 points are the fifth-highest total by a Sixer, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain’s 68 (at the Chicago Bulls; Dec. 16, 1967), Chamberlain’s 65 (vs. the Los Angeles Lakers; Feb. 7, 1966), Chamberlain’s 62 (vs. the San Francisco Warriors; March 3, 1966), and Allen Iverson’s 60 (vs. the Orlando Magic; Feb. 12, 2005).
The 59 points, obviously, set a personal record for Embiid. He had scored 50 points twice (vs. the Bulls, Feb. 19, 2021; and vs. the Magic, Jan. 19, 2022).
Coming on the heels of his 42-point performance the night before, against the Atlanta Hawks, Embiid became the fourth player since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976 to score a total of 100 points or more in back-to-back games, joining Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Bradley Beal. And he is the first center to do so since Chamberlain in 1967. Of course, on March 2, 1962, Chamberlain scored 100 points in back-to-back halves!
By scoring 26 of the Sixers’ 27 points when the Jazz scored 21 in the fourth quarter, he became the first player since Tracy McGrady in 2006 to outscore both teams in a quarter.
He is the first player in the last 25 years to have at least 25 points and at least five blocks in a quarter. He had five blocks in that historic fourth quarter.
All statistics are from the 76ers media guide and ESPN Stats and Information, with a helping hand from Bob “Boop” Vetrone.