Doc Rivers believes Joel Embiid should be MVP

Lauren Rosen: Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid: “I really believe he should be MVP.”
Source: Twitter @LaurenMRosen

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Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Underrated stats from today’s @Philadelphia 76ers win:
Embiid: 29 PTS / 12-16 fg
Harden: 13 AST
Harris: 8-13 fg / 5-9 3fg
Harris: game-high +28
Thybulle: game-high +28
Thybulle: 5-7 FG
Maxey: 4 AST / 0 TO
Niang: 4-5 fg
Milton: 5 AST
Team: 48.8% 3fg
Q3 margin: 45-27, Sixers. – 5:17 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid is averaging 30 points per game and coach Doc Rivers believes he should win the MVP award #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/04/02/six… via @SixersWire – 4:33 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Embiid scores 29 points, 76ers hit 21 3s in rout of Hornets 144-114 nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/02/emb… – 4:19 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Joel Embiid said that he’s had a cut on his finger for two months now, which won’t close since he’s dunking and catching passes with the right hand.
Musing on the injury, he said: “Pretty painful but I’m African, we don’t feel pain.” – 3:33 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers center Joel Embiid on bouncing back from Thursday’s ‘bad loss’ to #Pistons: ‘We know how good we can be’ pic.twitter.com/AtPaudNKxg – 3:28 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Embiid showed us a cut on his shooting hand after Harden reacted to seeing it at their postgame presser. Says it’s something he’s been dealing with on and off for roughly 2 months because of banging it on the rim and reopening it.
But…”I’m African, we don’t feel pain.” – 3:26 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Embiid says he has a cut on his right hand that hasn’t healed for 2 months.
“I’m African, we don’t feel pain,” Embiid says. – 3:26 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Joel Embiid showed that he had a pretty big cut on his finger. He said he’s been dealing with it for quite some time, but he jokingly adds that he doesn’t feel pain. #Sixers – 3:25 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Center Joel Embiid on the #Sixers’ big third quarter: pic.twitter.com/tulCzXLBxZ – 3:25 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers, asked if James Harden and Joel Embiid will play Sunday night at #Cavaliers: ‘I hope so.’ Said he believes plan is for everybody to be available. – 2:57 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Doc Rivers says he believes the Sixers are planning to play everyone tomorrow in Cleveland, though he’s not sure. – 2:56 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Rivers said he talked with Embiid pregame and sort of nudged Joel saying that he could go out and score 50 and help his MVP case against a smaller Charlotte team. Embiid told him he only cared about winning and that he was simply going to let the game come to him – 2:56 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid: “I really believe he should be the MVP.”
Rivers says Embiid told him he doesn’t want to force things over the final stretch just to get numbers, which Rivers appreciated. – 2:56 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers: ‘I really think Joel should be the MVP.’ – 2:55 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid:
“I really believe he should be MVP.” – 2:55 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Rivers: “I don’t get in on this, but I really think he should be MVP.”
Says he almost told Embiid to get 50 tonight. Embiid said, “I just want to win, I’m going to let it come to me.” – 2:54 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers on James Harden’s game in blowout win: pic.twitter.com/nvCM4eHLHf – 2:54 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid: “I really believe he should be MVP” #Sixers – 2:53 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Joel Embiid last 6 games:
31.5 points
13.0 rebounds
3.0 stocks
56.2% shooting
42.1% from three pic.twitter.com/xbyIpxSaUQ – 2:52 PM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
#NBA column: While Saturday’s blowout win was an encouraging result, the #Sixers and Doc Rivers have things to figure out with James Harden and more in a short period of time: https://t.co/jQP7AuVVIi #76ers pic.twitter.com/5q1LLwlf4A – 2:47 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Great work from the @Philadelphia 76ers on the afternoon shift, opening their back-to-back with a dominant 144-114 win.
Embiid: 29 PTS / 14 REB / 6 AST
Harris: 23 PTS / 5-6 3fg / 5 REB
Maxey: 19 PTS / 4 AST / 2 STL
Harden: 12 PTS / 8 REB / 13 AST
Thybulle: 12 PTS / 3 REB / 3 STL – 2:46 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
FINAL: Sixers 144 (!), Hornets 114. Sixers snap a three-game losing skid and come with a terrific response after Thursday’s clunker in Detroit. Embiid with 29-14-6 in 31 minutes. Harris with 23 on a season-best 5-of-9 from 3. Harden with 12 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds. – 2:45 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Sixers 103, Hornets 80 at the end of the third. Sixers led by as many as 29 in the period and dropped 45 (!) points. Embiid with 29-14-6. Harden with 12 points, 13 assists and 8 boards. Sixers are shooting 63.5 percent and 14-of-30 from 3. – 2:17 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
Hornets broadcast thinks Joel Embiid can still get in better shape. Tough crowd. – 2:12 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
The Sixers have outscored Charlotte 30-12 in the first 6:43 of the 3rd quarter, and now lead 88-65 with a little over 17 left to play.
The Sixers are shooting 63.6%, and have generally looked dominant when they throw the ball to the correct team. Embiid’s up to 25/13/5. – 2:06 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
10 pts/12 ast for Harden.
25 pts/13 reb for Embiid. – 2:05 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Interesting little moment at the timeout:
Embiid put his arm around Thybulle’s shoulder, talked with him for a bit before sitting on the bench. Presumably related to Embiid screaming at Thybulle a little earlier about where he wanted him on Embiid’s catch at the nail. – 1:54 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
The business decision by Embiid on that Plumlee dunk was … interesting. So was Doc’s expression afterward. – 1:51 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
Embiid was moving a tad slower towards the end of that half, looked like something with his knee contesting Cody Martin’s layup.
On a positive note, Tobias Harris had 16 points including 4-7 from deep, which has to be close to a record for one half for him. All good shots. – 1:34 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Sixers 58, Hornets 53. Embiid already with 19-11-4. Harris with 16 on 4-of-7 from deep. Harden is 2-of-6 from the floor but has 7 points and 5 boards. Sixers won’t love the Hornets’ 13 fastbreak points, or Charlotte’s 13 points off the Sixers’ 10 turnovers. – 1:34 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
A lot of ugly turnovers but Embiid absolutely killing as a roller so far, would just keep going back to that well in the second half – 1:33 PM Rod Boone @rodboone
Halftime: Sixers 58, #Hornets 53
Miles Bridges 11 pts, 3 rebs
Hornets have to do a better job of containing Joel Embiid (19 pts, 11 rebs) and keeping a body on Tobias Harris (16 pts). – 1:33 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly
Embiid still limping a little, looks like the left leg area is a little sore after a fall. – 1:33 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
The @Philadelphia 76ers lead the Hornets, 58-53, at halftime.
Embiid: 19 PTS / 11 REB / 4 AST
Harris: 16 PTS / 4 REB / 2 AST
Harden: 5 PTS / 5 REB / 7 AST – 1:32 PM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosen
Joel Embiid has shot 6-7 from the field in the first half.
He and Tobias Harris each have a game-high 16 points.
Embiid in the first half alone, so far:
16 PTS / 10 REB / 4 AST – 1:29 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmann
The Hornets, who are not switching, are having all sorts of trouble with the Harden-Embiid pick-and-roll in the early going. That pocket pass is there every time. – 1:02 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Great start by the Sixers. They lead 18-13 and are shooting 63.6%. Harris has nine points on 3-4 shooting (3-3 on threes). Embiid has 5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Harden has 2 points and 3 assists. – 12:52 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA
Tobias Harris with a couple of catch and shoot 3s early, as the Sixers have jumped out to an 18-13 lead midway through the first. Harris has 9 to lead the way, with Embiid chipping in with 5/3/2. Sixers are shooting 7-11 from the field and 3-5 from deep to start. – 12:50 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizell
Hot shooting start from Harris, who just buried his third 3-pointer in the first six minutes. A byproduct of the Harden-Embiid pick and roll. Sixers are 7-of-13 from the floor and have an 18-13 lead. – 12:50 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
From Doc Rivers pregame:
-Team needs to increase pace — look to push the ball ahead, focus on better tempo consistently.
-Frustrated Sixers didn’t post Embiid more vs. Detroit switches.
-Afternoon games in regular season generally hit or miss. No practice or shootaround pregame – 10:55 AM Tom Moore @TomMoorePhilly
Asked #Sixers coach Doc Rivers why James Harden’s fourth-quarter numbers are down over the last six games: pic.twitter.com/8dWWEHVkkn – 10:51 AM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
Tobias Harris has begun to find a rhythm on the offensive end next to James Harden and Joel Embiid. He explains how he has been able to find his comfort out on the floor. #Sixers sixerswire.usatoday.com/2022/04/01/tob… via @SixersWire – 9:35 PM Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
James Harden and Joel Embiid need to flip the switch in order for the Philadelphia 76ers to realize their full potential.
What does that entail? @NekiasNBA believes Harden and Embiid need to do a better job of navigating switches on both ends: basketballnews.com/stories/the-ja… – 6:28 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
Former #Kansas star Joel Embiid: ‘I don’t like #Villanova this weekend’ inquirer.com/sixers/embiid-… via @phillyinquirer #KU #NovaNation #FinalFour #Sixers #UNC #Duke #DukevsUNC – 6:26 PM

More on this storyline

NBA reporter Chris Mannix, during the NBC Sports Boston broadcast Sunday with the Celtics hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves, shared a story about a recent phone call between Tatum and Embiid. “Let me in part a quick story about how much it means for Jayson Tatum to be MVP,” Mannix said during the broadcast. “I was speaking to Drew Hanlen, Tatum’s longtime trainer, the other day. He said he was with Joel Embiid when Tatum called him and before they got off the call Tatum said to Embiid, ‘You better win the MVP this year because I’m gonna get it next year.’ “ -via NESN.com / March 31, 2022 At this point, Khris Middleton has seen it all. For nine seasons, aside from the moments they’ve been sidelined because of injuries, he has seen every practice and every game of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s NBA career. And yet, Tuesday night, he still couldn’t believe what Antetokounmpo did on the Bucks’ final defensive possession against the 76ers. “It shocked the s— out of me,” Middleton said. -via The Athletic / March 30, 2022 “The shot went up,” Middleton explained. “Me and Jrue (Holiday), we kind of let Embiid slide past us, and we thought we gave up the potential game-tying layup. Next thing we know, we see this hand hit the ball to the backboard. It was this quick, much-needed block. It was one of the best ones I’ve seen, but not the best, obviously.” -via The Athletic / March 30, 2022