Joel Embiid is having the best season of his career. The Cameroonian big man has been developing quite well over the last few seasons. But this season, he seems to have taken a step in his career the likes of which we have never seen before. And if his scoring performance improves even marginally, he could be set to break a 40-year record in the NBA.
Joel Embiid is currently averaging 29.9 points per game, 0.1 shy of 30 points per game. If he does finish the season averaging 30 points per game, he would become the first center since Moses Malone to average 30 or more points per game in a season. Malone, a 76ers legend in his own right, achieved this during the 1981-82 NBA season when he averaged 31.1 points per game.
Embiid averaging 30 points per game wouldn’t require him to do too much more than what he is doing now. His numbers just need to improve over a stretch, and then he needs to consistently score somewhere near 30 points per game for the rest of the season. Given how close Embiid is to that mark, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he was able to make this happen.
The 76ers have become one of the favorites to win the NBA championship this season off the back of Embiid’s insane season. On top of that, having James Harden, a former league MVP and one of the greatest scorers in NBA history alongside him has only further bolstered his performances.
If Embiid can maintain this level going into the NBA playoffs this season, teams in the Eastern Conference will have a very tough time stopping the 76ers. Embiid is also a front-runner to win MVP this season. But the question on everyone’s mind will be whether Embiid can sustain this level of play until June when the NBA Finals end.
