"I’m still gonna be the best player on the floor" - Joel Embiid gets candid, says playing the likes of Rudy Gobert doesn't motivate him
Joel Embiid issued a strong statement about going up against the best players in the league. His statement came after he dropped a 39-point performance in 28 minutes over three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in the 76ers' 117-94 win over the T'Wolves on Tuesday.
Here's what Embiid told Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes after the game when asked if playing the likes of Gobert motivates him (h/t SB Nation's Dave Early):
“Doesn’t necessarily motivate me… It doesn’t matter who I’m playing… No disrespect to any of them but MVPs, DPOYs, that doesn’t mean anything to me I’m still gonna be the best player on the floor.”
playing Gobert “doesn’t necessarily motivate me…. It doesn’t matter who I’m playing…No disrespect to any of them but MVPs, DPOYs, that doesn’t mean anything to me I’m still gonna be the best player on the floor.”
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Embiid is among the most confident players in the NBA, and his performances speak for themselves. He has outdueled players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic on both ends.
It was Rudy Gobert's turn on Tuesday. The Timberwolves' starting center had no answer to Joel Embiid's efficient night.
The latter bagged 39 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, shooting 13-of-22 overall, 4-of-4 from 3-point range and 9-of-9 from the free throw line in less than three quarters of playing time. Meanwhile, Gobert produced only six points and nine rebounds on two-of-six shooting.
Joel Embiid bolsters his MVP case with another solid outing
Joel Embiid has produced another MVP-caliber season. He finished as the runner-up the last two years, despite some believing that he should've won the award. Embiid continues to deliver, and voters might need to take a U-turn on their stance from the past two seasons.
The 76ers All-Star is arguably the best two-way center in the league right now. He leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 33.3 points per game on 54/46/86 splits. Embiid ranks eighth in blocks per game (1.6). The argument against his MVP case has been that he hasn't played enough games, but Embiid is on course to play 65 games this season if he doesn't miss a game moving forward.
Even if he ends the season with at least 60 games, winning his second scoring title while being elite defensively and potentially leading the Sixers to the second seed would be favorable for him to win MVP.
The Philadelphia 76ers are 1.5 games behind the second-ranked Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference after improving to 43-22 following their win over Minnesota. The Sixers have the fifth toughest schedule as per Tankathon, and if Embiid still manages to lead them to a top-two seed, his MVP chances will improve further.