Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Joel Embiid records another 40-point game in final week of MVP race

By Adam Stites | Last updated 4/5/22

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid scored 45 points against the Indiana Pacers in a 131-122 win Tuesday night, notching his 12th 40-point game of the season with the MVP race coming down to the wire.

With the performance, Embiid jumped ahead of LeBron James as the NBA's scoring leader with only a handful of games left. Embiid is now averaging 30.4 points per game, fractions of a point more than James' 30.3 points per game and Giannis Antetokounmpo's 30.1 points per game.

In addition to his scoring performance Tuesday -- which saw Embiid make 18 of 30 field goals and two of his three three-point attempts -- the center also recorded 13 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.

this guy is WILD! https://t.co/29uBYG8eGo pic.twitter.com/XZVt1NgUoR
— x - Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 5, 2022

Embiid, 28, was the favorite to win the MVP award earlier in the year, but has fallen behind the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, according to oddsmakers. Jokic is averaging 26.8 points, 8.0 assists, and 13.7 rebounds per game this year.

While Jokic has only recorded two 40-point games this season, he's recorded 19 triple-doubles compared to just two for Embiid.

The 76ers improved to 49-30 with the win and are now tied with the Boston Celtics for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks can make it a three-way tie with a win against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

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