Joel Embiid appeared fully healthy in the Sixers’ 106-96 thumping of the Celtics, scoring 35 points while drawing foul after foul from Boston’s center rotation.
At one point in the contest, Embiid, who had missed 11 of the previous 12 games, turned to Doc Rivers and said “I’m back,” according to the coach. Rivers told FortyEightMinutes and other media members that his reply was “I know.”
Boston had no answer for Embiid, who looked the part of an MVP. The former No. 3 overall pick was the frontrunner for the award prior to suffering a knee injury in early March.
With LeBron James and James Harden both suffering injuries since Embiid exited the lineup, the center’s odds have shot back up. Embiid is currently second in terms of odds (+500 at PointsBet), behind only Nikola Jokic.
In 33 games this season, Embiid is averaging 29.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. The 27-year-old center is currently leading the league with a 36.69 player efficiency rating.
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