Brilliant Embiid goes berserk with 70 points as Sixers down Spurs

LOS ANGELES – 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 (Tuesday Manila time).

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.

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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.

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Tyrese Maxey added 18 points for the Sixers while Tobias Harris finished with 14 — the only other Philadelphia players to crack double figures.

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.

Embiid's masterpiece, meanwhile, propelled Philadelphia to a sixth straight victory, leaving them third in the Eastern Conference behind Boston and Milwaukee on 29-13.