76ers Beat Rockets Behind Joel Embiid’s 31 Points

No one is running away with the NBA Eastern Conference lead at this point, but the Philadelphia 76ers are on top as we move into the second half of February. A big part of the 76ers success this season has been the play of Joel Embiid. On February 17th, Embiid just missed a triple double, scoring 31 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and had 9 assists in Philadelphia’s 118-113 win over the Houston Rockets, ending a three game losing streak.

Embiid’s points and rebounds numbers were about what he’s been averaging this year; in 23 games, he’s averaged 29.7 points and 10.8 rebounds. He’s fourth in the NBA in points per game, and is slightly ahead of his career high set in the 2018-19 season, when he averaged 27.5. Embiid has been a rock solid player since he entered the league five years ago and continues to improve. It’s early, but he’s in the mix for the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.

The 76ers improved to 19-10 on the season, a game and a half ahead of Brooklyn (18-12) in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers will host the Chicago Bulls on February 19th.