NBA MVP Embiid hits 51 to power 76ers over Timberwolves

WASHINGTON: Joel Embiid scored a season-high 51 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on Wednesday (Dec 20) to accomplish feats unseen for more than a half-century as the Philadelphia 76ers beat NBA-best Minnesota 127-113.

The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player sparked the Sixers (19-8) to their seventh victory in eight games and snapped the four-game win streak of the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves, who slipped to 20-6.

Embiid became the first NBA player with 12 consecutive games of 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972.

He also became the first 76er since Wilt Chamberlain in 1967 with three consecutive games of 40 or more points and 10 or more rebounds.

"He does it every night so consistently," 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey said of Embiid. "We expect it of him and he goes out there and performs every single night."

Embiid said the triumph avenged a loss at Minnesota last month when he was unable to play due to a hip injury.

"That's one of the best teams in the league and the best in the West," Embiid said. "We felt like we had to get them back and I'm glad everybody just showed up.

"To start the third quarter, we had some rough patches, but we stuck together and we kept pushing and we got the win."

The 29-year-old Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m), the NBA's top scorer with 34.4 points per game, lifted the Sixers to their largest leads in the final minutes.

Embiid scored 20 points in the first half, 19 more in the third quarter and completed the seventh 50-point performance of his career - and second of the season - on a jumper with 1:46 remaining.

Embiid made 17-of-25 shots from the floor and 17-of 18 free throws while adding three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in humbling the NBA's top