Tim Bontemps, ESPNJ22. January 2024, 9:43 p.m. ET
PHILADELPHIA – Joel Embiid scored 70 points, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain and setting a new franchise record for points in a single game. He led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs and rookie Victor Wembanyama on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Embiid's final score – 70 points, 18 rebounds and 5 assists – was never seen before in NBA history, according to a study by ESPN Stats & Information. In addition to setting a new personal and franchise record, Embiid surpassed Giannis Antetokounmpo's 64 points against the Indiana Pacers, scoring the most points by a player in a single game this season.
Embiid broke the team record with a coast-to-coast layup late in the fourth quarter, capping a legendary performance that saw him score 24 points in the first quarter and 34 in the first half, matching his previous career high of 59 points – last year against the Utah Jazz set up – in three quarters after ending the third with a retreating 3-pointer.
| Career high | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Wilt Chamberlain* | 100 | 1962 |
| Kobe Bryant | 81 | 2006 |
| David Thompson | 73 | 1978 |
| Damian Lillard | 71 | 2023 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 71 | 2023 |
| David Robinson | 71 | 1994 |
| Elgin Baylor | 71 | 1960 |
| Devin Booker | 70 | 2017 |
| Joel Embiid | 70 | 2024 |
| *Chamberlain scored at least 70 points six times | ||
At that point, the only question that remained was whether Embiid would even return in the fourth round or whether he would spend the final 12 minutes on the bench, as he had done several times in blowout victories this season.
However, San Antonio persevered, led by a standout performance from Wembanyama with 33 points and seven rebounds, and that led to a massive ovation when Embiid returned to the game with 6:38 left.
Embiid was then immediately fouled by Jeremy Sochan on his first offensive possession of the quarter, allowing him to make both free throws, setting a new career high. The crowd was desperately hoping that the reigning NBA MVP would make history — to the point where fans booed Embiid's teammate Danuel House Jr. when he made a corner 3-pointer midway through the quarter.
Embiid finally tied Chamberlain's previous franchise record of 68 points with two free throws with 1:57 left before his coast-to-coast layup broke the record. He ended up playing 36 minutes and 38 seconds.
It was a performance that made Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich's pregame press conference seem prophetic.
When asked if Sochan could help Wembanyama's guarding of Embiid, the Spurs coach simply replied, “I don't think it matters what we do.”