The NBA has announced that Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in December. In his sixth NBA season, it’s Embiid’s third career Player of the Month selection. Embiid joins Hall of Famers Allen Iverson (four times) and Julius Erving (three times) as the only 76ers players to win the award at least three times.
In 13 games in the month of December, Embiid averaged 29.2 points (seventh in the NBA, fourth in the East), 11.2 rebounds (sixth in the NBA, fourth in the East), 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in 34.5 minutes per game. He was one of three NBA players to average 25 points and 10 rebounds through the month, joining Denver’s Nikola Jokić and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Embiid was the lone player during the month to post totals of at least 350 points, 140 rebounds and 50 assists in the month. These totals led to Embiid posting eight double-doubles, which ranked second in the East and tied for fifth in the NBA.
Embiid scored in double figures in all 13 appearances in the month, including two 40-plus point performances. On Dec. 6, in a win at Charlotte, Embiid scored a season-high 43 points (15-20 FG, 1-2 3FG, 14-15 FT), while adding 15 rebounds and seven assists. He is one of two players to have a game of at least 40-15-5 this season.
In nine road games, Embiid averaged 32.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, while no other player with at least five road appearances posted such numbers. These averages were fueled by seven straight road games where Embiid scored at least 32 points, including a 41-point, 10-rebound game against at Boston on Dec. 20. So far this season, Embiid is tied for the league lead with three games of at least 40 points and 10 rebounds.
In stringing together seven straight 30-plus point road games, Embiid joined Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Iverson as the only 76ers to ever post such a streak. The only other players to score 30-or-more in seven straight road games since the start of the 2010-11 season are James Harden, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.
Over the month of December, Embiid posted a league-leading four games of at least 35 points and 10 rebounds. These outings helped contribute to the three-time All-NBA selection scoring his 7,00th career point on Dec. 26. In doing so, he tied Iverson for the fewest career games (282) to score his 7,000th point in franchise history.
Utah’s Donovan Mitchell earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors for games played in December.
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