PHILADELPHIA — JAN. 22, 2018 — The NBA announced today that Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played between Monday, Jan. 15 and Sunday, Jan. 21. The honor is the second of Embiid’s two-year career after earning the designation for games played between Jan. 16-22, 2017.
Embiid led the 76ers to a 3-0 week with wins over three of the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference; Toronto (second), Boston (first) and Milwaukee (eighth). He posted averages of 29.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in 33.9 minutes per game, while shooting .542 from the field and .815 from the free-throw line.
Last Monday against the Raptors, the Cameroon native poured in 34 points and collected 11 rebounds in a 117-111 76ers win. The 30-point performance was Embiid’s seventh this season; the most by a Philadelphia player in a single season since 2006-07 (Allen Iverson). He is one of 19 players in the NBA with at least seven 30-point games.
On Thursday, Jan. 18, Embiid led the 76ers to the team’s first victory over the Celtics at TD Garden since April 4, 2014, snapping a seven-game winless streak. The 7-footer posted 26 points, a career-high-tying 16 rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 35 minutes of action. His point, rebound and assist totals led all Boston and Philadelphia players that evening. It was the first such performance of his career and according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Embiid was the first 76ers player to lead both teams outright in points, rebounds and assists since Charles Barkley on March 19, 1990, against the Nets.
Embiid closed out his week with a 29-point, nine-rebound, two-block outing on Saturday against Milwaukee and led the 76ers to their largest win over the Bucks (22 points) since March 9, 2008. It was his third straight game with at least 26 points and nine rebounds, something no 76ers player had accomplished since Barkley reached such minimums in five straight games from Jan. 4-11, 1991.
This season, Embiid, who was named an All-Star starter last Thursday, is averaging 24.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. His averages of points, rebounds and blocks rank him 13th, sixth and fifth in the NBA, respectively. Embiid is one of two Eastern Conference players, and one of five leaguewide, averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, joining fellow All-Star starter Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee. He is on pace to become the first 76ers player to post such averages for a full season since Barkley in 1991-92.
Embiid has scored in double figures in 48 consecutive games, the longest streak by a Philadelphia player in the past five seasons.
The University of Kansas product holds career averages of 22.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.2 blocks, and was named to the 2016-17 NBA All-RookieFirst Team.
ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS:
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most storied franchises in the National Basketball Association, having won three World Championships, earning nine trips to The Finals and making 47 playoff appearances over 68 seasons. The Philadelphia organization is a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment property.
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