The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-113. It marks the ninth time this season that Philadelphia has tallied at least 125 points on 50 percent shooting, tied for fourth in the league (Stathead).
Philadelphia improved to 5-2 against Western Conference opponents (NBA.com/stats).
JOEL EMBIID (51 points, 12 rebounds) tallied his 12th consecutive game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, marking the longest such streak since the NBA-ABA merger. He is the fifth player all-time to produce at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in as many as 12 consecutive games.
Embiid's season-high 51-points also represents his fifth straight game with at least 35 points, matching a franchise record previously set by Hall-of-Famers WILT CHAMBERLAIN (Feb. 13-22, 1965) and ALLEN IVERSON (April 7-14, 1997). Embiid is averaging 41.8 points and 13.0 rebounds during this five-game stretch.
Embiid tallied a season-high 51 points, as he and TYRESE MAXEY (35 points) combined to score 86 points on 59.2 percent shooting. These 86 points represent the second-highest scoring game by any duo this season, trailing a mark set by the same duo on Nov. 12 against Indiana (87 points).
This marked the second 50-point game for Embiid this season, both of which have resulted in double-doubles. Those two 50-point double-doubles are tied for the league lead (GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO). This was the seventh 50-point double-double of Embiid’s career, the second-most in 76er history and the most by any player in the NBA since the 2020-21 season (Stathead).
In the first half alone, both Embiid and Maxey scored 20 points, marking the seventh time since 1997-98 where a pair of 76er teammates scored at least 20 in the same half (PHI: 6-1). It is the third time that Embiid and Maxey have teamed up to accomplish the feat (Elias Stat Bureau).
"He’s been doing that all season. That’s our guy," Embiid said of Maxey. "Fourth quarter, we know where the ball’s got to go. We’re going to go to Tyrese [Maxey], he plays the full quarters. He gets hot, he’s been carrying us all season long, four quarters. We just know, we just got to give him the ball, and put the ball in his hands."
Embiid becomes the fourth player in Minnesota's franchise history to record a 50-point double-double against the Timberwolves, joining JAYSON TATUM (53 points, 10 rebounds; Apr. 9, 2021), TONY PARKER (55 points, 10 assists; Nov. 5, 2008), and SHAQUILLE O’NEAL (53 points, 18 rebounds; Apr. 20 1994), per Stathead.
Maxey drained five three-pointers, giving him eight games this season with at least five triples (PHI: 7-1 in such games).
Maxey's 35-point performance is his second in 26 games this season, matching his career high for games of at least 35 points in a single season (2 - 2022-23). His five career games of 35-plus points are tied for the second-most by a 76er age 23-or-younger with Hall of Famer CHARLES BARKLEY (Stathead).
NEXT UP: The 76ers will play host to the Toronto Raptors on Friday at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia and 97.5 The Fanatic. Entering the game, the 76ers have won their last five meetings against the Raptors which is one away from tying their longest streak over Toronto.