Joel “Best player in the world” Embiid led Sixers to an overtime 112-104 win over Nets

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Not so long ago, Joel Embiid had a terrible night against the Boston Celtics.

He was so bad, any player would look awful if he goes 1-for-11 shooting, that he refused to talk to the media after the game. Even for Embiid’s own lofty ceiling, that game came was not erratic, for he has been marred by inconsistency this season. In fact, the game against the Greens is easily toppled by his scoreless night against Toronto Raptors back in November, with his numbers looking even worse with 0-for-11 shooting.

But against the short-handed Brooklyn Nets, Embiid was back to his brutal best as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to an overtime 112-104 win Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia. In fact, the game witnessed his best version of this season, as he erupted for his season-high and game-high 39 points against the Nets, and recorded 16 rebounds. He was aggressive and precise in everything he did on the court.

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The 25-year-old Cameroonian, fresh from his All-Star exploits in Chicago at the weekend, was certainly in a better mood to talk to the media this time around.

“For sure,” Embiid said.

“The All-Star Game was fun. Being there in the fourth quarter, doing my thing at the end of the game, I thought it was great.

“But the All-Star Game, just proving I’m here, I belong, and being the best player in the world, I just intend to keep coming out every single night and just play hard and trying to get wins and just go out and try to win a championship.”

Game Insight!

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Nets headed into the game without Kyrie Irving, who re-aggravated his shoulder injury and is ruled out for the season, while the Sixers lost Ben Simmons to an injury as well. But it was the home that started hot, jumped to 22-6 lead, but the Nets caught fire and scripted an unthinkable 44-8 run to go into the break at 52-42.

But it was Embiid’s night. He started dominating the game after the break, dominated the paint, and every player the Nets tried to throw at him in this game. How good he was is clear from the fact that he attempted only one shot from 3-point range on the night, which he converted of course. He just Bullied the opponents.

Dinwiddie affected the game at both ends of the court in the dying seconds. After burying a jumper 30 seconds from regulation time to give Brooklyn a 103-101 lead, he fouled Embiid at the opposite end, and the Sixers’ superstar duly converted the two free throws to force the overtime.

It was Alec Burks (19 points overall) show in the overtime as he scored five of his team’s nine points in OT to give Sixers its 26th win in 28 home games.

With the win, the Sixers improved to 35-21 on the season, while the Nets fell to 25-29.