Embiid scores 70 as Sixers down Spurs

Joel Embiid became only the ninth player in NBA history to score 70 points or more in a single game as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 133-123 on Monday. A sensational individual performance from the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player led the way to victory for the Sixers and upstaged an impressive 33-point showing from Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama.

Embiid finished with 70 points, 18 rebounds and five assists, shooting 24-of-41 from the field and making 21-of-23 free throws. The Cameroonian star’s franchise-record effort vaulted him into an elite band of NBA stars who have posted 70 or more points in a single game, joining Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker and Damian Lillard.

“It feels good,” Embiid said after the win, paying tribute to his “extremely unselfish” teammates.”I was hot and they just gave me the ball and made sure they put me in the best positions. “Credit to the coaching staff too - I’m just surrounded by amazing people.”

Tyrese Maxey added 18 points for the Sixers while Tobias Harris finished with 14 -- the only other Philadelphia players to crack double figures. Sixers coach Nick Nurse said the 7ft (2.13m) tall Embiid’s combination of size and skill made him nearly unplayable. “He can score in so many ways,” Nurse said. “His sheer size gets him a lot of stuff around the basket and a lot of free throws.

“And his shooting touch is the skill that makes it extra hard to stop him. When he gets motivated like that, anything can happen.” Wembanyama, the highly rated No.1 Draft pick from France, produced one of his best performances of the season in a losing effort for San Antonio, who remain at the bottom of the Western Conference with a record of eight wins and 35 defeats.