Shaquille O’Neal quips hilariously that he has found the ideal woman who will stick by him forever.
Joel Embiid is accused by a Philadelphia radio host of purposefully missing the Miami Heat game on Christmas Day.
Though it’s easy to make jokes about Embiid missing important games, there’s no denying the reasoning behind the decision. Joel probably won’t be able to skip this matchup because the league has begun to penalize players who miss nationally televised games. Despite his achievements in December, which have come against lesser teams, he is not ‘ducking’ the Heat. He is actually recovering from an injury he sustained against the Toronto Raptors in Philly’s most recent game.
Embiid recently scored 51 points against the NBA’s top team, who also have the best defense in the league this year. When Joel Embiid faced Rudy Gobert, one of the early favorites for Defensive Player of the Year, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he demonstrated that he is not afraid of anyone.
Joel is on track to become the first player to average more points scored than minutes played since Wilt Chamberlain in 1961–1962, with an average of 40.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in December.
Joel Embiid is expected to win MVP again.
This season, there isn’t much evidence to support the notion that Embiid is avoiding opponents, despite the desire of some to believe otherwise. But when it comes to the quality of teams he did miss games against, a worrying pattern is emerging.
This season, he has missed three games: the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Boston Celtics, and the New Orleans Pelicans in November. Embiid will have missed four games against teams that are better than.500 as a result of the upcoming game against the Heat. Rather than actively trying to avoid teams, I attribute it to misfortunes. He has dominated games against both strong and weak opponents, solidifying his position as the clear favorite in MVP debates.
With his current season average of 35.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, he is also heading toward his third consecutive scoring championship. The 76ers have been able to withstand the blow of trading James Harden, the team leader in assists from the previous season, for picks and salary expiration due to his extraordinary skill on the court. They remain competitive in the east and are well-positioned to add a significant player before the trade deadline.
Every season after the 76ers lose badly in the playoffs, people want to rule them out, but Embiid never lets them give up. His performance in the playoffs will determine his legacy, so winning another MVP title won’t be enough to silence his detractors.
