"That 7-foot monster... I think he is in position to remake his case as the best player on the planet" - NBA analyst picks Joel Embiid as the better player over former MVP
Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid wowed fans this year. The talent has never been in question, as he's shown the ability to be one of the NBA's most dominant centers. The bigger question has been his health, as Embiid has struggled to stay on the court throughout the early portion of his career.
Healthy and producing at an eye-opening level, Embiid had his most successful season yet. However, at the conclusion of the first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, Embiid suffered numerous injuries. He missed the first two games of the semifinals series against the Miami Heat, and the 76ers were in trouble without him.
But Embiid returned in Game 3 and has carried the 76ers to two straight victories, evening the Eastern Conference series at 2-2.
On "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed" on Monday, analyst Skip Bayless praised Embiid:
"That 7-foot monster ... I think he is in position to remake his case as the best player on the planet."
"I think Joel Embiid is in position to remake his case as the Best Player on the Planet."
@RealSkipBayless on the impact the Sixers center has had since returning to the lineup: https://t.co/HX0cyiFezV
Joel Embiid stars for Philadelphia 76ers
It looked as if the Philadelphia 76ers were simply overmatched after going down 2-0 in the series against the Miami Heat. That was until Joel Embiid returned to the lineup, providing the spark and the inside presence the 76ers needed. In his last two games, Embiid has averaged 21.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 48.0%.
Although Embiid has been dealing with numerous injuries, it's clear he can still give Philadelphia a serious boost on both sides of the floor. The 76ers now find themselves even with the Heat at 2-2 as they head to Miami for a much-anticipated Game 5 on Tuesday.
Joel Embiid this playoffs:
— Double teamed constantly
— Torn thumb ligament
— Fractured face
— 24.9 PPG
— 11.3 RPG
— 51.2 FG%
He leads this playoffs with 7 double-doubles, despite missing 2 games. https://t.co/puiuJufohF
Embiid has been dealing with a thumb injury (from early in the series against the Toronto Raptors), as well as an orbital fracture in his face (from Game 6). His performances in the last two games, however, have injected life into the 76ers.
Although many think Embiid should have been the Most Valuable Player, he's making his presence felt when the team has needed him the most. Throughout the playoffs, Embiid has averaged 24.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg and 2.1 apg.
The MVP award will reportedly go to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic for the second straight season. Embiid finished a distant second to Jokic in the vote a year ago. Jokic had 971 points, getting 91 of 101 first-place votes, while Embiid had 586, with one first-place vote.