"Jokic and Curry fans best sleep early.": Embiid and Durant deliver masterclasses, leaving NBA haters buried in points
NBA fans were treated to an exhilarating Monday night with a standout eight-game slate, highlighted by the commanding performances of two of the league's premier players, Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant. Both stars shouldered the responsibility, leading their respective teams to impressive victories.
Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers defeated Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs thanks to a career-high 70 points from Joel Embiid. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant scored 43 points and spearheaded the Phoenix Suns' 115-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls at home.
NBA fans quickly tweeted their reactions to both performances. One fan tweeted:
"It’d suck to be an Embiid or Durant hater tonight. Jokic and Curry fans best sleep early."
Here are some more fan reactions on X:
Embiid contributed five assists and 18 rebounds in the 76ers' 133-123 win. He made 21 free throws, shooting 58.5% from the field.
Through three quarters, Embiid had already surpassed his previous career high of 59 points, consistently dominating any defender that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich placed on him.
Even though Embiid's incredible performance stole the show, Victor Wembanyama was able to compete with him. The rookie, still playing with a minute restriction, finished with 33 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Wembanyama shot 10-of-19 from the field and made two 3-pointers. He made a career-high 11 free throws, consistently hitting the charity stripe.
Kevin Durant and Phoenix Suns win sixth straight game in dramatic fashion
Durant scored at least 40 points for the second night in a row. In addition to eight assists and six rebounds, he shot 6-of-15 from 3. Furthermore, Devin Booker scored 16 points while Bradley Beal added 18.
Their winning run now stands at six games, the second-longest of the entire season. After 14 games, they are now 11-3.
In under a minute remaining to play, DeMar DeRozan made a floater from six feet out to give the Bulls a 111-110 lead at the 0:49 mark. After Beal missed a jump shot, Durant answered with a 27-foot 3-pointer to put the Suns back ahead.
In response, DeRozan made a mid-range shot to tie the score at 113. Durant, although double-teamed by Patrick Williams and Alex Caruso, managed to shoot a double-pump jumper to win with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant win Conference Players of the Week
Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant won their respective conference honors, capping the players of the week from Jan. 15 to 21 for Week 13 of the 2023-24 season.
Joel Embiid averaged 37.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists, leading the 76ers to win in all four. Meanwhile, Kevin Durant averaged 31.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists, leading the Suns to all three wins.
This marks the 32nd time Durant won this honor, while Embiid won it for the third time.