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Joel Embiid matches franchise icons as he continues dominant stretch 
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Joel Embiid matches franchise icons as he continues dominant stretch 

After many entered the season wondering if we would ever see Joel Embiid at the top of his game again, the Philadelphia 76ers star center has proven he can still be dominant. Embiid even turned his game up to another level on Tuesday night, leading the 76ers to a win and making some franchise history as well. 

Embiid put up 29 points in 29 minutes while shooting 45.8 percent from the field in Philadelphia's 139-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He finished one rebound shy of another double-double adding nine boards and five assists. 

The 2023 league MVP and seven-time All-Star totaled his 100th career game with at least 25 points, at least five assists and at least five rebounds.  

Embiid's latest performance places him among franchise icons 

And to further demonstrate his legacy despite his missed time, Embiid became only the fifth player in the history of the 76ers franchise to achieve those numbers in 100 games, joining the likes of fellow legends Allen Iverson, Hal Greer, Julius Irving and Charles Barkley.

Embiid has looked like his old self lately 

Embiid has also shown no signs of slowing down since the turn of the year. Having already exceeded his 19 games played last season (26), Embiid is averaging 25.2 points with 7.5 boards and 3.7 assists this season. 

But in his last five games, he's been even better and back to his old self - he finished three-straight seasons with an average of over 30 points per game before 2024-25, posting averages of 32.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists with a shooting clip of 52.4 percent during that span.

Healthy, effective Embiid key for Sixers

The 76ers have needed every bit of Embiid - they are now 25-21 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. However, while Philadelphia has experienced and up and down season overall, Embiid is providing a new level of confidence that they could actually embark on a playoff run in a wide open conference.  

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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