Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is dominating the season, with a career-high Rolling Player Rating of 34.77, and is now the NBA MVP favorite with odds at +175. He scored 51 points in a 127-113 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and his scoring average of 35.1 PPG is the most by a center since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. Embiid is also on pace to become the second player since 1954-55 to finish a season with more points than minutes played. The LA Clippers, on the other hand, had their 9-game winning streak, their longest since 2017, ended by the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 134-115 loss. James Harden contributed significantly to the Clippers' streak with 20 points, 10 assists, and 50/45/90 shooting splits, and the team was +129 with him on the court. The Thunder's victory was highlighted by Chet Holmgren's performance, which included 23 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and a memorable self-alley-oop dunk. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also starred with 31 points.
๐ FRIDAY'S FINAL SCORES ๐ Tobias Harris drops 33 PTS to help the @sixers top the Raptors! Joel Embiid: 31 PTS, 10 REB Tyrese Maxey: 33 PTS, 10 AST https://t.co/6yzOW1QC38
.@Steve21Smith on Joel Embiid: โI like the way heโs playing [now] better than the year he won the MVP!โ Back-to-back MVPs for Embiid? ๐ https://t.co/4dZxKXZmM8
Joel Embiid keeps racking up nice assists this season.
Joel Embiid's hot streak has him in the same company as Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar https://t.co/iQvjYd0Mk0
Embiid dropped 30+ for the 14th straight game and finished with a MONSTER statline. He's currently the MVP favorite at +185. ๐ฅ https://t.co/Kc2djMhmJ4
A pair of 30-point double-doubles from Embiid and Maxey helped the Sixers knock off the Raptors. ๐๏ธ Embiid makes it 13-straight games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. ๐ฅ https://t.co/f00kvks6tr https://t.co/a6dW593tm3
Embiid is up to 16 points in the 3rd quarter. ๐ฅ (๐ฅ: @NBCSPhilly) https://t.co/ROZMaUyMuk
I know the talk is free throws but Embiid's shot making. Raptors went zone, they doubled Embiid and he responded with a fadeaway. https://t.co/efHxo87YHY
Tobias Harris stuffed the stat sheet in the 1H ๐ค 24 PTS 7 REB 5 AST Raptors-Sixers | Live on the NBA App ๐ฒ https://t.co/xz6H6vBLnG https://t.co/PTqn4yUQWp
Tobias Harris went to work in the first half ๐ฃ๏ธ ๐ฅ 24 PTS (8-12 FG) ๐ฅ 7 REB ๐ฅ 5 AST https://t.co/a8MIKmX8ag
Tobias Harris with a BIG first half, but the Sixers are only up 3 against Toronto. ๐ https://t.co/PIS5EqnWzf
Tobias Harris is COOKING โผ๏ธ 24 PTS in the 1H ๐คฏ Raptors-Sixers | Live on the NBA App ๐ฒ https://t.co/xz6H6vBLnG https://t.co/6RTYndPBlG
Tobias Harris at the half: True bucket getter. ๐ https://t.co/7rhDf615c5
Tobias Harris has been AUTOMATIC early vs. the Raptors ๐ฏ โช๏ธ18 PTS โช๏ธ6-8 FG โช๏ธ3-3 3PT (via @sixers) https://t.co/uI4zMfEvVR
Joel Embiid has been on another level ๐ฅ #BrotherlyLove https://t.co/w2TqTqVOqv
Joel Embiid doesn't have the best supporting cast in Philadelphia, but his two-way dominance more than makes up for it @RohanNadkarni's latest NBA MVP rankings https://t.co/eybG0g6hwQ
Joel Embiid holds on to the top spot on @mikecwright's #KiaMVP Ladder heading into #NBAXmas ๐ See the full list on the NBA App! โก๏ธ https://t.co/0AzFIoBDmH https://t.co/3Gf54yDjlo
I went down a rabbit hole and wrote about the mystery of Chet Holmgrenโs self-lob: https://t.co/WMCQiyQ9kl https://t.co/p4fwhT1lsY
Chet Holmgren had an awesome self-alley-oop dunk last night. Then I stumbled upon a mystery: Is this a putback? Is it an assist? Is it just a dunk? I checked the official record. And... ๐คฏ https://t.co/WMCQiyQ9kl https://t.co/0yaZTp5yhr
Joel Embiid has been going OFF lately, will the trend continue vs. the Raptors? ๐ค โฌ๏ธ/โฌ๏ธ 35.5 PTS โฌ๏ธ/โฌ๏ธ 11.5 REB โฌ๏ธ/โฌ๏ธ 5.5 AST https://t.co/uL8XHUvqpN
Last night was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 7th game of the season with 4+ steals. No other player has more than four such games this season. #NBA | #ThunderUp https://t.co/VigRTFYSb8
Since the post-trade losing streak ended after the Nuggets game, the Clippers are 14-3 with Kawhi and Harden playing.
Embiid is showing no signs of slowing down ๐ช๐ฟ @Kia MVP Ladder: https://t.co/KE2uqk3SLt https://t.co/SdAC2PFZRH
Three things from last night's game against the Clippers and against all odds, all three aren't only about Chet's cool play: https://t.co/LafHYiqrDD
https://t.co/wWGNmWnCY9โs updated MVP ladder: 1. Joel Embiid 2. Nikola Jokic 3. Giannis Antetokounmpo 4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 5. Luka Doncic 6. Jayson Tatum 7. Tyrese Haliburton 8. Kevin Durant 9. Kawhi Leonard 10. Anthony Edwards
Chet Holmgren absurdly lobbed the ball off the backboard to himself for a mind-blowing dunk https://t.co/7RKK0WunKv https://t.co/Ew4ji04mnU
Ridiculous move by @ChetHolmgren. Keep grinding, Chet ๐๐ผ https://t.co/ACYxVOyDWT
Thunder snap Clippersโ streak with Gilgeous-Alexanderโs 31-point brilliance #LosAngelesClippers #OklahomaCityThunder #ShaiGilgeousAlexander https://t.co/kdeJpJG45V
Watch Chet Holmgren throw alley-oop off backboard to himself for dunk https://t.co/DyfEYT5H1I
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was feelinโ it tonight! ๐ค His 31-point performance led the @okcthunder to a W and earned him @YahooFantasy Player of the Night! ๐ช 31 PTS | 8 REB | 4 AST | 2 BLK | 4 STL | 63.6 FPTS https://t.co/DuUjH8800Z
Chet Holmgren surprised even himself with astounding self alley-oop https://t.co/HtKB7l6KOG
SGA had his fifth game of the season with at least 30 points and 4 steals. Only one other player has more than one (Giannis, two).
"We don't work on that, that's not part of his player development plan...he's just rockin'" ๐ - OKC coach Mark Daigneault on Chet Holmgren's self alley-oop https://t.co/5NwMzgBZ8S https://t.co/lJvfsFGv8m
Chet Holmgren says the self-lob was an โat-the-parkโ move. Not premeditated. It was there.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 PTS) leads the charge as OKC picks up their 3rd win in a row! โ๏ธ https://t.co/cRxkSXJjU1
bro actually threw it off the backboard ๐@ChetHolmgren
Tobias Harris ranks 4th in PPP in Post Ups, min 50 possessions. [cough, ahem]Seems like a fantastic way to get him going https://t.co/wXhAh2e9iX
Thunder 134, Clippers 115 F | OKC snaps LAโs nine-game winning streak. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 31 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists; Chet Holmgren 23, 6, 7; Lu Dort 21, 3, 4. OKC tied a season high with 35 assists.
Thunder beat the Clippers 134-115. - SGA: 31-8-4 + 4 steals + 2 blocks - Dort: 21 and 4 assists (8-12 shooting) - Chet: 23-6-7 (9-11 shooting, 2-3 from 3) - Dub: 13-4-7 - Giddey: 11-3-4 (4-5 shooting, 3-3 from 3) in 14 mins
SGA steal & score โ๏ธ He's got 31 PTS as the Thunder lead late in the 4Q. Clippers-Thunder | Live on the NBA App ๐ฒ https://t.co/gKRSB2BDuU https://t.co/wdO3i66jPQ
The Clippers led this game by one when Chet Holmgren threw himself a lob off the glass.
Lu Dort up to 19 points on 8-12 shooting. Heโs 3-6 from 3-point range, but has been really effective on the drive. OKC leads the Clippers 115-95, 9:51 4Q.
Clippers took the lead 73-72 with 9:03 left in the third. Chet throws an oop to himself off the backboard to give OKC the lead back with 8:43 left. OKC goes on a 13-0 after and outscores the Clippers 33-18 the rest of the quarter.
Thunder on a 12-0 run, and SGA is headed to the line after this timeout trying to complete a three-point play. OKC up 84-73, 6:31 3Q.
CHET HOLMGREN. Off the backboard to himself ๐ฑ Clippers-Thunder | Live on the NBA App ๐ฒ https://t.co/gKRSB2BDuU https://t.co/P41MBkgQWj
Wicked move by Chet. Wow. https://t.co/CIbfrot673
CHET HOLMGREN IS UNREAL. ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ https://t.co/z8OWRZcLVw
CHET THROWING OFF THE BACKBOARD TO HIMSELF!!!! https://t.co/eE46flduRg
Chet just did a T-Mac tribute and threw an alley-oop off the glass to himself
Thunder 64, Clippers 59 H | Chet Holmgen 13 points; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey 11 each. Paul George and Norman Powell 13 each for LAC. Felt like OKC controlled most of the half, so a five-point deficit feels like a pretty good spot for the Clippers to be in.
Chet goes coast-to-coast for the slam! ๐ฅ Catch all of tonight's best moments on NBA Crunch Time! ๐ฒ: https://t.co/pUHicXsXPk https://t.co/S3z2IaWOxE
At the 10-minute mark in the second quarter, the Thunder are 7/10 from deep, while the Clippers are 3/13. Thatโs been the difference in this game thus far.
Point-Chet takes it himself and throws down the baseline slam! Clippers-Thunder | Live on the NBA App ๐ฒ https://t.co/gKRSB2BDuU https://t.co/8DBhdqozKZ
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (sure) and Giddey (!) have 11 points each with 3:11 to play in the first quarter. Giddey is 4-4 FG, 3-3 3FG. OKC leads the Clippers 32-19.
The OKC crowd rises to their feet to give Russell Westbrook a warm ovation in his return ๐ Clippers-Thunder | Live on the NBA App ๐ฒ https://t.co/gKRSB2Cbks https://t.co/t7ILOAktNR
Chet Holmgren has 7 points on 3-3 shooting, and the Thunder has jumped in front of the red-hot Clippers 15-9 early. OKC is 6-8 from the floor, 3-4 3FGs.
NBA MVP Award odds: Joel Embiid overtakes Nikola Jokic after dominant 51-point game https://t.co/apjbhsn9FE https://t.co/fQFkCWk0e4
Anthony Edwards gives his props to Joel Embiid after he dropped 51 points on the Timberwolves. ๐ https://t.co/TQLrI0X3Jh
The Clippers are on a 9-game winning streak and Joel Embiid has scored 51, 50, and 42 in his last 3 games ๐ #NBA #NBANews https://t.co/TFmqNhOrkp
TONIGHT! Watch the @LAClippers vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder live on KTLA, KTLA+ and https://t.co/NAzAYx7QM5 starting at 5 p.m. tonight. #NBA #ClipperNation Live stream: https://t.co/TiezXrBgoK https://t.co/PeFQpA2LSv
Joel Embiid Has Comfortable Lead In First MVP Straw Poll Of 23-24 Season https://t.co/IT3mCaOvE3
Joel Embiid (35.1 PPG, 34.1 MPG) is on pace to become the 2nd player since 1954-55 to finish a season with more points than minutes played (min. 50 minutes), joining: Wilt Chamberlain (1961-62) https://t.co/9LrQkUysjq
Joel Embiidโs 35.1 PPG this season are the most by a Center since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. https://t.co/QvpWmE8VOl
Joel Embiid is the third player since the NBA-ABA merger to average 35+ PPG over the first 24 games of the season, joining James Harden and Michael Jordan. #NBA | #BrotherlyLove https://t.co/ovyfg8sswq
Joel Embiid is the new NBA MVP favorite at @BetMGM after putting up 51 against the TโWolves last night. Embiid +175 Nikola Jokic +350 Luka Doncic +500 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +700 Giannis Antetokounmpo +900 Jayson Tatum 18-1
"Right now, he's the hands down unanimous MVP... [The Sixers] are the real deal. Joel Embiid right now is the unanimous MVP and nobody is close to it. And I love Nikola Jokic." Agree with Shannon Sharpe? ๐ค (via @FirstTake) https://t.co/azcQLI18lZ
Watch Joel Embiid drop 51, leads the 76ers past the Timberwolves in a big win. His MVP case gets stronger every day. https://t.co/rnVBr6FnXc
Joel Embiid is now the frontrunner to repeat as the MVP but here is why it might not matter yet https://t.co/tQ9cxagjxH https://t.co/CaiLWS3fAF
Joel Embiid now has a career-high Rolling Player Rating of 34.77. Only 10 players in NBA history have topped that: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tiny Archibald, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Damian Lillard, Bob McAdoo, Oscar Robertson and Dwyane Wade. https://t.co/2Aia2phhsD
The @LAClippers extended their win streak to 9 games on Wednesday. ๐ It's the team's longest since winning 11 straight in 2017: https://t.co/19rnvPWp94 #NBA | #ClipperNation https://t.co/vDEPqSJ1jw
Joel Embiid scores 51 points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-113 https://t.co/lG6VEA3iXV
James Harden during LAC's 9-game winning streak: 20 points, 10 assists, 50/45/90 shooting splits...the Clippers are +129 with him on the court and -17 when he sits
Another monster season from 76ers center Joel Embiid.