The Philadelphia 76ers center, Joel Embiid, secured his first NBA Most Valuable Player award on Tuesday night, beating out the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
Embiid received 73 of the 100 first-place votes and a total of 915 points. He becomes only the second African player to win the award, following in the footsteps of Hakeem Olajuwon. Embiid is also the first 76ers player to win the award since Allen Iverson in 2000-01.
The moment Joel Embiid was named the #NBA's MVP ✨
The Philadelphia 76ers' centre won his second consecutive NBA scoring title in the regular season, with a career-high season average of 33.1 points per game 🏀🔥#BBCNBA pic.twitter.com/MSNLCU1IJv
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 3, 2023
The 29-year-old has had an outstanding season, leading the league in scoring for the second straight year with an average of 33.1 points per game, along with 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. He shot a career-high 54.8 percent from the field, including 66 three-pointers and 66 steals. He has been an All-Star every season since 2017-18 and has made the All-NBA second team four times.
In a remote video call with TNT’s ‘NBA Tip-Off’, Embiid expressed his gratitude to his team-mates and reflected on his journey to the NBA. He also acknowledged the hard work and sacrifice of his fellow in putting him in a position to succeed.
Embiid’s win was celebrated by his teammates, who were present with him during the broadcast. The center expressed his pride in his team and the need to remain focused on their goal of winning the Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Boston Celtics.
The MVP award is a well-deserved recognition of Embiid’s exceptional talent and hard work. He has overcome numerous obstacles to reach this point and is determined to continue striving toward success with his team. As he celebrates this milestone achievement, he remains focused on the challenges ahead and is determined to lead his team to victory.
The Process Continues: 76ers Overcome Joel Embiid Injury to Secure Game 1 Victory Against Celtics
The Philadelphia 76ers started their Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Boston Celtics without their star center Joel Embiid, who was sidelined due to a knee injury. Despite missing their MVP candidate, the 76ers managed to secure a hard-fought 119-115 victory over the Celtics in Game 1 on Monday night.
Led by a dominant performance from James Harden, who scored 45 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field, the 76ers overcame the absence of Embiid to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Tyrese Maxey also stepped up in Embiid’s absence, contributing 26 points.
The absence of Embiid was certainly felt by the 76ers, who relied heavily on their star center throughout the regular season. However, the team’s depth and resilience were on full display in Game 1, as they managed to overcome his absence and secure a crucial victory on the road.
While Embiid’s status for Game 2 remains uncertain, the 76ers will take confidence from their performance in Game 1 and look to continue their winning ways
