The Denver Nuggets-Philadelphia 76ers clash was as exciting as basketball enthusiasts expected it to be. Going up against an in-form group led by MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid put the Sixers on his back and carried them to a huge 126-121 win. Embiid’s impressive 41-point outing resulted in Skip Bayless consoling Philly fans as the city’s NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles suffered in the NFL playoff.
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Right from tip-off, the contest between the two powerhouses was well-contested. The action-packed thriller witnessed 48 minutes of entertaining basketball, and after going through 14 lead changes & ties the Sixers managed to grab a five-point victory. Joel Embiid, who only played his second game after missing three games, did a phenomenal job. JoJo’s 41-point, 7-rebound, 10-assist near-triple-double performance was good enough to leave Skip Bayless impressed.
Skip Bayless isn’t an analyst who often praises players. Despite being a harsh critic, Bayless took to X (formerly “Twitter”), revealing to be in awe of the big man. As Philly’s NFL team tumbled in the NFL’s Wild Card Round, Bayless consoled Pennsylvania sports fans by highlighting Embiid’s performance. Further, the UNDISPUTED analyst also took shots at James Harden, believing that the team was thriving only because of his departure.
“Hey, Philly: At least you still have Embiid. Back-to-back 41s, tonight in a win over Joker. And at least you DON’T have Harden any more. You’ll go farther without him.”
James Harden has received a lot of flake for having an unsuccessful stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, Skip Bayless seems to have forgotten about the lackluster outing that Embiid often has in the postseason. Hence, blaming the Beard for the franchise’s failures isn’t justified.
But, it is true that since Harden’s exit, the team has been much better. This is because Tyrese Maxey has been allowed to display his skill set. Stepping up as the team’s second-best player, Maxey has been a huge reason behind Nick Nurse and co.’s success.
Joel Embiid has been leading the MVP race
Joel Embiid missed out on three games last week with a knee injury. In those three games, the Philadelphia 76ers only managed to win one, suffering losses to the Utah Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks. However, Embiid didn’t waste any time, making an impact as soon as he returned to the lineup.
On the 14th January contest against the Houston Rockets, the reigning MVP was simply unstoppable. Taking on the floor for merely 31 minutes, the 29-year-old managed to stuff the stat sheet with 41 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, a block & steal.
After grabbing the win against Fred VanVleet and co., not many fans expected Embiid to have a similar performance against the Denver Nuggets. However, Embiid displayed his brilliance yet again. Matching up against Nikola Jokic, Embiid clearly outperformed his rival. In 38:33 minutes, the former Kansas Jayhawk put up 41 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds.
By outperforming Nikola Jokic, Embiid has proved that he certainly is the best player in the league. Leading the scoring (35.1 points) for the second consecutive season and averaging 11.6 rebounds, the Sixers leader is on track to lift the MVP trophy yet again.
