Joel Embiid receives Rick Carlisle's MVP endorsement: 'He's a walking NBA cheat code' / News - Basketnews.com

Joel Embiid has impressed Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle after setting a franchise record by scoring 30 points or more in nine consecutive games.

Credit: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer; Ringo Chiu/ZUMA Wire Credit AP Photo/Rick Bowmer; Ringo Chiu/ZUMA Wire

Joel Embiid has scored at least 30 points in nine straight games, a Philadelphia 76ers franchise record.

Joel Embiid

MIN:34.85PTS:33.49 (65.94%)REB:10.16As:4.16ST:1.07BL:1.74TO:3.44GM:57ProfileNBA2022/2023

His latest standout performance was in the Sixers’ 141-121 win over the Pacers Saturday night. The Cameroonian had 31 points on 10/15 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists.

His team has won eight in a row and is sitting comfortably as the No 3 seed in the Eastern Conference standings.

Embiid's involvement in this winning streak has put him alongside NBA legends Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain, who racked up similar records, and Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has been impressed with how it unfolded.

"Embiid, right now, he's probably the MVP," Carlisle said.

"With what their team is doing and how he's just elevated his game, he's as difficult a guy to game plan for as there is in the game. Giannis [Antetokounmpo] is crazy ridiculous. [Nikola] Jokic is the same. And this guy may be even more difficult if that's possible.

He had 31 points in less than three quarters, which made it look like he wasn't even trying to do it. We threw a lot of different things at him. He's a walking NBA cheat code right now. He's just that good."

Almost a year ago, when the Philadelphia 76ers defeated Rick Carlisle's Indiana Pacers 133-120 behind a 41-point performance from Embiid, and while speaking with reporters after the game, the head coach lauded the veteran big man.

"We haven't seen a guy like this in the history of the league who has this kind of power and skill," Carlisle said. "He's able to score on all three levels effortlessly. He's an amazing player, and it will be interesting to see what teams do in the playoffs to try to slow him down."

Back in 2017 when he was coaching the Dallas Mavericks, Carlisle joked that the big man is so good that showing film of him to his team could be dangerous.

"You have to be careful what you show in pregame edits, or you might scare the s--t out of your team," Carlisle said at the time.

With 12 games remaining on the schedule, Embiid has an excellent chance to take home the franchise’s first MVP award since Iverson in 2001.

Joel Embiid has played 7 seasons for the 76ers. He has averaged 27.1 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 385 regular-season games. He was selected to play in 5 All-Star games. This season, he's averaging 33.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per outing.

Sixers coach Doc Rivers echoed his sentiment, saying "I was really happy. Joel at times was our point guard. He probably had 15 hockey assists, and that was just terrific. Low turnovers. Against a high-scoring team on the road, you had to do that."

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