Joel Embiid drops 70 points in game for the ages but harsh NBA fans are all saying one thing
Joel Embiid ripped up the record books on Monday night, dropping 70 points in a 133-123 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
In doing so, the reigning NBA MVP broke Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain’s Philadelphia 76ers single-game franchise record of 68 points set back in 1967.
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The 76ers centre finished the game with a career high 18 rebounds, five assists, and went 24 of 41 from the field, including one of two from beyond the arc.
You would think fans would be heaping praise on the Philly big man for posting such a historic stat-line, but a surprising number of people online couldn't get over his free throws.
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The Sixers star made 21 of his 23 free throws and that seemed to be a sticking point for some who suggested his points tally wasn't as impressive as it first sounded given so many were from the line.
"HOF free-throw merchant," one fan said.
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"KAT literally about to do this with less free throw attempts, there’s levels to it," wrote another, referring to Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Town scoring 62 points in a 128-125 loss to Charlotte on Monday.
"12 FTs per half not moved," replied another.
"Bro got almost the same amount of FTs as the Spurs entire team," a fourth responsed.
Others, however, suggested free throws are a part of the game and Embiid shouldn't be criticised simply because he's so effective at drawing fouls and getting to the line.
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Embiid's performance came on the 18th anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game for the Los Angeles Lakers - the second-best scoring game in NBA history - and fans highlighted that even Kobe went 18 of 20 from the free throw line in that game against the Raptors.
The anniversary of Kobe's historic night clearly wasn't far from Embiid's mind after the game.
“From the time I started playing, Kobe was my guy,” Embiid said. “He’s the reason why I started playing basketball. It’s funny, on the same night, he got 81 and that was my favorite player.”
Embiid now becomes the ninth different player in NBA history with a 70-point game.
Chamberlain did it a whopping six times, while Elgin Baylor, Klay Thompson, David Robinson, Bryant, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard and now Embiid, have done it once.
Embiid’s previous career-high was a 59-point performance against the Utah Jazz last November.
His latest career high came against young phenom Victor Wembanyama, who dropped 33 points of his own.
This was the first match-up between the two big men and Embiid taught the rookie a valuable lesson in what it takes to reach the upper echelons of the sport.
The 76ers have now won six straight games and are third in the Eastern Conference.
Wemby and the Spurs are rock bottom of the Western Conference with only eight wins from 43 games.
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