Fifty-Piece — Sixers Take Down the Wizards

Joel Embiid has once again had a masterclass performance, putting up his 6th career 50-point game. Embiid has played absolutely incredible so far this season, averaging 33 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 rebounds in 17 games. On Wednesday Night, he led the Sixers to a tight 131-126 win over Washington. When Embiid plays well, the Sixers win, which seems to be a constant trend. Philadelphia is now 13-7 and is still the 4 seed.

Not only did Joel Embiid score 50 points, he also snatched 12 rebounds. The fact that he was able to have a career night in scoring and still be an elite rebounder is incredible. Embiid shot an impressive 67% from the field while making 11 of his 13 free throws. He did all of this in just 38 minutes. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points to the Sixers’ total, hitting a buzzer-beater from half-court at halftime. For the first time in weeks, Kelly Oubre Jr. saw action. Oubre played 19 minutes and scored 12 points off the bench. It is rather surprising to see him play this early, as broken ribs from a car accident would seem like it would take longer to heal. Nonetheless, Philadelphia fans are grateful for his health.

The Washington Wizards have one of the worst records in the NBA with an embarrassing 3-17 record. It shouldn’t have been as close as the score was. The best player on that team, Jordan Poole, likely won’t even be an All-Star. A team looking to win a championship like the Sixers shouldn’t let it get that close. Either way, a win is a win and every win is one step closer to the final goal of winning a championship (or making it past the 2nd round if you’re the Sixers).

Philadelphia will play Atlanta on Friday in a game that will be the rematch of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Embiid and Maxey will attempt to continue their dominance going into this game.