Embiid Scores 70
With the way that he had played this season coming into Monday night's contest against the San Antonio Spurs, Joel Embiid might have been in prime position for his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award. After Monday night, Embiid might have stamped his claim to the award for 2023-2024, regardless of their being 40 games remaining in the schedule.
Embiid, in his team's 133-123 victory over the Spurs, put on an offensive masterclass, becoming just the ninth player in NBA history to score at least 70 points in a game, with a 70 point, 18 rebound, 5 assist performance (24 of 41 from the field, 21 of 23 from the free-throw line, 1 of 2 from three-point range). Further, Embiid set the all-time single game scoring record for the franchise, eclipsing Wilt Chamberlain's 68 points from December 16, 1967 (the Philadelphia Warriors are not considered part of the Philadelphia 76ers lineage, hence why Chamberlain's 100 point, 73 point, and 72 point games from the 1961-1962 NBA season do not count towards 76ers' history.
As of Jan. 23, Embiid has season averages of 36.1 points, 11.6, and 5.9 assists in just 34.2 minutes per contest while shooting 53.9 percent from the field. He is on pace to join Chamberlain as the only other player in league history to average more than one point scored per minute.
Hornets, Heat Swap Rozier for Lowry
On Tuesday morning, the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets, per Shams Charania, reached agreement on a deal centered around Terry Rozier and Kyle Lowry. The Hornets are also getting a 2027 first round pick in the deal. The trade gives the Heat a sorely needed playmaker in the back court. Rozier, who is averaging 23.2 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.9 rebounds on 45.9 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from three-point range, provides Erik Spoelstra with another guard who can create, score, and shoot. Lowry, at age 37, was not that guy anymore for the Heat. Rozier also takes pressure off of Jimmy Butler to create, something that he had to do a lot of in the playoffs last spring with Tyler Herro out with injury. The Heat, at 24-19 and losers of three consecutive games, will get a boost with Rozier. Expect the trade to energize the group in the short term and allow them in the long term to make another deep run into the playoffs, pending health.
Bucks Fire Head Coach Adrian Griffin
Also on Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks announced the firing of head coach Adrian Griffin. The Bucks, at 30-13 and currently 3.5 games back of the Boston Celtics for the number one spot in the Eastern Conference, possess the league' second highest scoring offense (124.6 points per game), and their 49.9 percent shooting as a unit is tied for third in the league with the Denver Nuggets. However, their defense is near the bottom, allowing the sixth highest average per game (120.5), and that must have been the reason for the firing. With a defensive player the caliber of Giannis Antetokounmpo on your roster, as well as a 2023 All-Defensive First Team center in Brook Lopez, it is inexcusable to be as poor on the defensive side as they are. According to Charania, Doc Rivers is a candidate to replace Griffin. Rivers is no stranger to coaching high profile talents and superstar players, so he would fit in that regard. It remains to be seen whether he is the right guy for the job though, given his lack of playoff success lately.
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