76ers News: Joel Embiid Chasing Shaq in Dominant Scoring Metric

Sixers star needs three more 40 point/10 rebound games to tie Shaq

The Philadelphia 76ers might not have picked up a win on Monday, but Joel Embiid continued his dominant scoring stretch. The reigning MVP pulled out all the stops in hopes of keeping the team's win streak alive. 

In 37 minutes of action, Embiid posted a stat line of 40 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. This marked the fifth time this season that he accumulated at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a game. 

With this performance, Embiid is now tied with Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for most career 40-point, 10-rebound games. The next name up on the list is one of the most dominant centers in NBA history, Shaquille O'Neal. He finished his legendary career with 43 of these games. 

Most career regular-season games with 40+ points and 10+ rebounds:

1. Wilt Chamberlain — 271
2. Elgin Baylor — 78
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 65
4. Bob McAdoo — 55
5. Shaquille O'Neal — 43
T-6. Bob Pettit — 40
T-6. Joel Embiid — 40 pic.twitter.com/VbljvRYyLj

— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) December 19, 2023

At his current pace, Embiid is set to surpass Shaq in this category this season. Currently, the Sixers star is leading the league in scoring (34.4 PPG) and is top five in rebounds (11.8 RPG). 

Fresh off winning his first MVP, Embiid has managed to put his name alongside some of the greatest big men in history. His performance against the Bulls also continued his 30-point, 10-rebound game streak to 12. Embiid surpassed Wilt Chamberlain last week and is now tied with another Sixer legend, Moses Malone.

Over the past three seasons, Embiid has stamped himself as one of the top scorers of his generation. His game has evolved so much that he is capable of picking apart defenses anywhere on the floor. His dominant play on both ends is a big reason why the Sixers find themselves third in the Eastern Conference at 18-8. 

Following a lighter part of the schedule, Embiid and the Sixers have a big test coming up. On Wednesday, they'll square off against Anthony Edwards and the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves.