Philadelphia Sixers Wiretap

Doc Rivers After Joel Embiid's 52-Point Night: The MVP Race Is Over

Apr 5, 2023 8:49 AM

Joel Embiid may have sewn up the MVP award in a dominating performance, as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to victory over the Boston Celtics. Embiid scored 52 points on 20-of-25 shooting, grabbed 13 rebounds, dished out six assists and blocked two shots in the Sixers 103-101 victory.

In the eyes of his coach, that should have been enough for Embiid to wrap up the MVP award.

"There were so many things that we did wrong. But what we did right was Joel Embiid. The MVP race is over. Tonight, we couldn’t make shots. The man just scored half our points in an NBA game," Doc Rivers said. "And I’m biased but the MVP race is over."

Embiid was leading the tightly contested three-way MVP race as of the latest, and final, straw poll conducted by ESPN. The Sixers center led Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo atop tentative awards ballots, which don't need to be finalized until the completion of the regular season.

Kyle Neubeck/Philly Voice

Tags: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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James Harden Has Been Dealing With Achilles Soreness For 'Some Months'

Mar 30, 2023 8:49 AM

Following the Philadelphia 76ers victory over the Dallas Mavericks, James Harden addressed his recent absences due to left Achilles soreness. The Sixers guard said it's something he's been dealing with for longer than previously known.

"I don't know where it came from. It's been bothering me for some months, I would say," Harden said. "I just wanted to continue to play on it, and there was one point to where the last game I played, [it was] just really unbearable so I couldn't even go out there."

Harden was spotted limping off the court following the 76ers overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 21. The star guard then missed Philadelphia's next four games. Harden said the injury is something he'll be monitoring for the remainder of the season.

"After the game, I went into the weight room and did some tendon-loading and things like that, for the Achilles, my lower body, my calves, things like that," Harden said. "Tomorrow I'll do something, after the game [against Toronto], Friday I'll do something, it's just making sure I'm on it."

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

Tags: James Harden, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Injury

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Joel Embiid Has Narrow Lead Over Nikola Jokic In Final MVP Straw Poll

Mar 30, 2023 8:13 AM

Joel Embiid has a narrow lead over Nikola Jokic in ESPN's final MVP straw poll for the 22-23 season.

Embiid has 790 total points to Jokic's 788, but Jokic has 42 first place votes compared to 40 for Embiid.

Embiid finished in second place on 45 ballots, six more than Jokic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo received 18 first place votes, 15 second place votes and 64 third place votes.

Rounding out the top-5 are Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic. Tatum appears to have a firm grasp on the fourth spot, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Domantas Sabonis as threatening Jokic for the fifth spot.

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

Tags: Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Award

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James Harden Looking To Return This Week At Home

Mar 28, 2023 1:34 AM

James Harden is targeting a return to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup sometime this week, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Wojnarowski adds that Harden, who has missed four straight games due to a sore Achilles, is looking to return for a home game.

Joel Embiid also missed Monday night's 116-111 loss to the Nuggets due to a sore right calf. 

 

 

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Tags: James Harden, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Injury

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Joel Embiid Ruled Out For Monday Game Against Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

Mar 27, 2023 2:02 PM

Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Monday's game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets due to a calf injury.

Embiid attempted to work out on Monday morning, but the Philadelphia 76ers decided to take a precautionary approach with the team playing their third game in four days.

James Harden, however, is on track to return to the Philadelphia lineup.

Embiid, Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are considered the three favorites for MVP and Monday's game was expected to have extra significance in the race. 

Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne/ESPN

Tags: Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Injury

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Joel Embiid: Just About Winning, Winning, Winning

Mar 27, 2023 9:30 AM

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid touched on a lot of subjects in a wide-ranging interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic. Embiid said this is the best he's ever felt this late in a season, that his foot feels better and, of course, he talked about the MVP race.

Embiid said he no longer cares about winning MVP as much as he once did. For him, the goal is different now.

"What matters — it’s just about winning, winning, winning. I’ve been focused on that. We’ve been doing that. Whatever happens, happens. If I win MVP, good. If I don’t, it’s fine with me," Embiid said.

The Sixers center also said he agrees with Giannis Antetokounmpo that the criteria to be MVP seemingly changes from year to year.

"The criteria does change. If we want to talk about the last three years since I’ve been in the running for it, the first year it was that I didn’t play enough games. Last year, I came back, I played enough games, I led the league in scoring, and obviously, Nikola deserved it and he won it. But then again, he won as a sixth seed in the West. And then this year, I’m leading the league in scoring, I’m doing all of these things defensively … I should be making an All-Defensive team too," Embiid said.

"I don’t care, but every year it’s something. And when you add analytics into it, which don’t make sense. You can talk about analytics all you want. When you got some guys in the league, the eye test tells you that they’re not good defensively, but analytics tell you they’re the best defenders. That’s when analytics don’t make sense at all. I don’t make the rules, I don’t choose whatever criteria that they use, so it’s really about whatever people’s preferences are."

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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James Harden Out For 2nd Straight Game With Achilles Soreness

Mar 24, 2023 10:04 PM

James Harden missed his second straight game on Friday due to left Achilles soreness. 

Doc Rivers believes Harden’s Achilles started bothering him before Monday’s game.

“It definitely was bothering him in that game,” Rivers said. “And … if this was a normal playoff game, James would be playing. But we’re just not going to do that right now. So we decided, especially now with guys, if they show something, they’re out.”

Harden could play on Saturday night at the Phoenix Suns though it could wait until Monday's game at the Denver Nuggets.

“Probably a bigger chance against Denver,” said Harden. “We’re hoping on this road trip. Usually, when you bring guys on the trip, that means you think he may play.”

Keith Pompey/Philadelphia Inquirer

Tags: James Harden, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Injury

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Joel Embiid, Domantas Sabonis Named NBA's Players Of The Week For 2nd Straight Week

Mar 20, 2023 3:51 PM

Joel Embiid and Domantas Sabonis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for the second straight week.

Embiid averaged 35.0 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks as the Philadelphia 76ers went 3-0.

Sabonis averaged 22.8 points, 16.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 3-0.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Philadelphia Sixers, Sacramento Kings, NBA, NBA Award

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Joel Embiid Becomes Odds-On Favorite To Win NBA MVP

Mar 16, 2023 2:15 PM

Joel Embiid has moved from a 2-1 underdog to an odds-on favorite to be NBA Most Valuable Player this season.

The odds began to shift on Tuesday when the Brooklyn Nets beat the Denver Nuggets.

By Thursday, Jokic and Embiid were co-favorites at Caesars, but Embiid is the outright favorite at other sportsbooks such as DraftKings and PointsBet.

Over the past week at Caesars Sportsbook, 85% of the bets and 79% of the money wagered on the MVP market has been on Embiid.

 
 

David Purdum/ESPN

Tags: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, Gambling, Gambling Odds

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Domantas Sabonis, Joel Embiid Named NBA's Players Of The Week

Mar 13, 2023 3:39 PM

Domantas Sabonis and Joel Embiid have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 21.

Sabonis averaged 20. points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 3-0.

Embiid averaged 38.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks as the Philadelphia 76ers went 4-0.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Philadelphia Sixers, Sacramento Kings, NBA, NBA Award

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Mac McClung Named G League Player Of The Week

RealGM Staff Report

Joel Embiid Misses Sixers Win With Left Foot Soreness

ESPN

James Harden, Rockets Serious About Reunion; Sixers Currently 'Unconcerned'

Kelly Iko, Sam Amick/The Athletic

James Harden Returning To Rockets 'A Very Real Possibility'

Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon/ESPN

Kevin Love Agrees To Sign With Heat

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Kevin Love Agrees To Buyout With Cavs; Will Meet With Heat, Sixers

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Joel Embiid 'Not Sure' On Playing All-Star Game Due To Left Foot Soreness

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

James Harden Hires Troy Payne As Agent Ahead Of Free Agency

Shams Charania/The Athletic

76ers Sign Mac McClung To Two-Way Contract, Waive Julian Champagnie

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Sixers To Sign Dewayne Dedmon

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

James Harden: I Don't Look Like The Crazy One Leaving Nets When I Did

Nick Friedell/ESPN

Blazers Acquire Matisse Thybulle, Sixers Get Jalen McDaniels From Hornets

Chris Haynes/Yahoo Sports

Mavs Looking At Matisse Thybulle

Vincent Goodwill/Yahoo Sports

Heat, Sixers Interested In Trading For Nerlens Noel

Marc Stein/Substack

Furkan Korkmaz Requests Trade From Sixers

Keith Pompey/Philadelphia Inquirer

Hawks Interested In Matisse Thybulle

Marc Stein/Substack

Jazz Want First-Round Pick For Each Of Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt

Jake Fischer/Yahoo! Sports

Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic Named NBA's Players Of The Month For January

RealGM Staff Report

Warriors, Kings Monitoring Availability Of Matisse Thybulle

Keith Pompey/The Philadelphia Inquirer

Kings Monitoring Matisse Thybulle

Marc Stein/Substack