Embiid is more Powerful and Unstoppable than ever as he Eclipses the 50-Point Threshold once more

Despite having a less-than-stellar supporting cast in Philadelphia, the 76ers center edges out Nuggets star Nikola Joki.

The second week of Sports Illustrated’s MVP rankings is here, as we prepare for the NBA’s Christmas day games on, well, Christmas. After some waffling on my side last week, I believe the second segment has a clear leader. Here’s what my fully genuine, not fictitious MVP ballot would look like if voting were held today.

Embiid continues to dominate, thanks in part to feasting on the leftovers of the Eastern Conference. Embiid has scored 35, 42, 40, and 51 points in his last four games since the previous rankings. According to Cleaning The Glass, the Philadelphia 76ers have a plus-13.4 net rating with their big man on the floor. Embiid has been dominant on both ends of the floor, while having one of the decade’s least celebrated supporting casts.

Nick Nurse began his postgame press conference with a straightforward appraisal of Joel Embiid.

“We’re seeing something pretty cool right in front of us, right?” Nurse stated.

A minute later, Sixers head coach Brett Brown made a comment that would apply to considerably fewer players.

“Every time he takes a shot,” the doctor continued, “you think it’s going in.”

Just barely.

On Wednesday night, Embiid faced a Timberwolves squad that leads the NBA in defensive rating and featured three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who stands 7-foot-1. He scored 51 points in the Sixers’ convincing victory.

Embiid missed four shots in the remaining three quarters: a second-quarter layup, two third-quarter jumpers, and a fourth-quarter free throw.

“With the way I started, I thought I was going to shoot 2 for 30,” Embiid said in a statement. “I’m still learning and improving.” Tonight was a huge step forward in terms of knowing when to be aggressive and when to take over — and what to do when the moment arrives. “I’m not forcing anything; I’m just taking whatever the defense gives me.”

Despite his late hiccup at the foul line, Embiid is shooting 89.3 percent on an NBA-leading 11.7 attempts per game. And Paul Reed pushed him over the 50-point mark by grabbing an unexpected miss and returning the ball to Embiid, who subsequently nailed a jumper.

Embiid has averaging 41.4 points per game during the Sixers’ seven-game winning streak, improving his season average to a league-high 35.1. Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, James Harden, Kobe Bryant, and Rick Barry are the only NBA players to have ever averaged more than 35 points per game in a season.

Embiid joined a group that includes all-time great big men Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by posting a 12th consecutive game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

He’s gotten to this all-universe level by layering tools on top of his enormous size and power. Embiid now possesses a wide range of mid-range abilities that few wings have. While Nurse enjoys all of that, Embiid’s well-timed displays of no-nonsense aggression and power enthralled him on Wednesday.

“My favorite part is that he shoots it, makes it, makes it… “And then he goes down the lane and dunks it on about three people,” Nurse explained. “I like the force downhill because it will begin to draw some other things.” And they’re also high-percentage shots, which is why we like ’em.”

Late in the third quarter, Embiid slammed home two dunks. Of course, he has a knack for setting up those crowd-pleasing highlights. After a delicate shoulder shimmy a la Hakeem Olajuwon and a baseline spin past Naz Reid, Embiid hit his first slam.

When Anthony Edwards was double-teamed at the left elbow by Embiid, he faked a pass to Danuel House Jr. in the dunker spot and then scooted around Kyle Anderson. Embiid raced through the paint, expecting nothing less than a slam.

“It helps when you’re being aggressive, and you’re going down there and you’re dunking the ball,” he remarked. “I don’t have the space to do so most of the time because every defense has collapsed.” That’s also when I generally take advantage and try to get my teammates easy shots.

“But … We’ve been focusing on paint touches, coach and (trainer Drew Hanlen). Get the ball in the paint and take easy shots. That, I believe, has been the main difference this year. “Any chance I get, I’m just trying to get as much into the paint as possible.”

Perhaps Embiid was more aggressive and uncompromising on Wednesday night, amped up for the game against Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the 20-6 Timberwolves.

However, as Nurse and his teammates will tell you, his performance was not significantly different from the historically exceptional norm.

“I think he goes after all the bigs in the NBA that guard him — bigs, guards, whoever it is,” told ESPN. “That’s exactly what we expect him to do.” He’s dominant and combative, and we need him to remain that way.”