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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid scored 70 points to surpass Wilt Chamberlain and set a new franchise record for points in a single game, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs and rookie Victor Wembanyama at Wells Fargo Center.
Embiid’s final line — 70 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists — has never been done before in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Stats & Information research. In addition to setting a new personal and franchise record, it also surpassed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 64 points against the Indiana Pacers for the most points in a single game by a player this season.
Embiid broke the record with a coast-to-coast driving layup late in the fourth quarter, capping off a legendary performance that saw him score 24 points in the first quarter, 34 in the first half and match his previous career-high of 59 points — set last year against Utah — in 3 quarters after ending the third with a stepback 3-pointer.
At that point, the only question remaining was whether Embiid would return at all in the fourth or if he’d spend the final 12 minutes on the bench as he has several other times this season in blowout victories.
San Antonio, however, hung around, led by a stellar 33-point, 7-rebound performance by Wembanyama — leading to a massive ovation when Embiid checked back into the game with 6:38 to go in the contest.
Embiid then was immediately fouled by Jeremy Sochan on his first offensive possession of the quarter, making both free throws to set a new career-high. The crowd was desperately hoping to see the NBA’s reigning MVP make history — to the point where they booed their own player, Danuel House Jr., when he took a corner 3-pointer midway through the quarter.
Embiid eventually matched Chamberlain’s previous franchise record of 68 points with a pair of free throws with 1:57 remaining, before his coast-to-coast layup broke the record.
It was a performance that made Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich’s pregame news conference seem prophetic.
Asked about whether Sochan might be able to help Wenbanyama guard Embiid, Popovich simply said, “I don’t think it matters what we do.”