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“Joel Embiid is two points away from passing DeMar DeRozan!”: Sixers MVP needs to make one more point in the clutch to have the most clutch points in the 2022 NBA season

Samir Mehdi
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“Joel Embiid is two points away from passing DeMar DeRozan!”: Sixers MVP needs to make one more point in the clutch to have the most clutch points in the 2022 NBA season

Joel Embiid is currently merely a point away from tying DeMar DeRozan in the most points scored in the clutch this season. 

Joel Embiid hasn’t just been playing like an MVP candidate this NBA season. He’s been playing like the MVP and unfortunately for him, has quite the competition with the likes of Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo hot on his tail. Regardless, of what happens, this is one of the best individual seasons from a Philadelphia 76er. 

Perhaps the most impressive stat that has come from this season of Joel’s is the fact that he’s leading the league in attracting double teams on post-ups while also leading the league in scoring. With LeBron James most likely to not play any more games, the scoring title will come down to Giannis and Joel Embiid as they are separated by .5 ppg.

Also read: “We deserved to win, that game was taken from us”: Cavaliers HC, JB Bickerstaff, goes off on Joel Embiid and James Harden’s continued free throw disparity

Another scoring statistic revolving around Embiid is the fact that he’s one of the best scorers in the clutch. Everything from nifty at-the-rim finishes to being impeccable from the left side of the floor, Embiid’s got it. 

Joel Embiid and DeMar DeRozan are neck-and-neck for the clutch scoring title. 

DeMar DeRozan has long been the ‘King of the Clutch’ this year, leading the league in clutch scoring a majority of the time. Joel Embiid has been hot on his trail throughout his season and with the season coming to a close in the next few days, it looks like it might be the All-NBA center’s last chance to surpass DeMar.

Also read: “Nikola Jokic is more deserving of the NBA MVP Award than Joel Embiid”: Dr. J has a clear favorite for this year’s Most Valuable Player, prefers The Joker over Sixers Big Man

Despite attempting 13 less field goals in the clutch when compared to Embiid, he’s leading the league in clutch scoring as of April 7th, 2022 with 157 total points. The Cameroonian is one point shy and is at 156 with a FG% of 47.5%. 

For Embiid to even pass him on this list, he’d have to have a game be within 5 points in the final 5 minutes of said game. With Philly’s next 3 games being Toronto, Pacers, and [Pistons, it’s safe to say at least one of those could go down to the wire. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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