Joel Embiid is one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA right now. He is a 7-foot center with a 7’5 wingspan, averaging 33 points per game (ppg) and 10 rebounds per game (RPG). Embiid is having his best season yet with the 76ers and is clinched for 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers will meet the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. I don’t think there’s any hope for Brooklyn, as Embiid and James Harden simply cannot be stopped. James Harden is an elite shooter and passer, while Embiid is one of the rebounders and scorers in the NBA. If they can beat the Nets in the first round, they are likely to see the Boston Celtics in the semi-finals. I think this series will be very exciting and extremely close.

Both teams have been remarkable this season; however, the Celtics lost to the Golden State Warriors last year in the NBA finals, and the Sixers have been known to choke in the playoffs ever since Kawhi Leonard sent them home with a last-second shot in game 7 of the semi-finals. The Sixers might lose to the Celtics in the semi-finals, but they have been remarkable this year.

Joel Embiid is about to end the regular season with a stat line that has been accomplished only 13 times in NBA history. He had three 50-point games this season and joins Kareem-Abdul Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as one of the only NBA centers to achieve that in one season. His play style is also very similar to Hakeem Olajuwon, who is known as the greatest center of all time. Hakeem once said that when he watches Joel Embiid, it’s like he’s watching himself. This explains why Embiid is so dominant. Both these players are about the same size and play the exact same way. When the ball is given to either one of these players in the post, it’s over. They have been in that position countless times and know exactly how to score, even with having elite players defending them. Joel Embiid is also averaging 11 free throws per game, which is something we haven’t seen since Wilt Chamberlain retired. He is also an amazing defender, averaging a steal and block every single game.

Many fans claim that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, or Luka Dončić should be given MVP. Although these players are amazing and fun to watch, they simply cannot match Embiid this season. Luka, on the Mavericks, has just been eliminated from the playoffs. It’s hard to say that he is the best player right now, given that his team couldn’t make the play-in tournament. Dončić is a phenomenal player and is probably the only competition to Embiid. He averaged 32 ppg but failed to make the playoffs this season. Jokić is a primetime passer and is averaging a triple-double. His passing is the most entertaining part of his game and is very fun to watch. Although Jokic’s stats are better than most players in the NBA, his offensive game is sub-par. He is slow and somewhat unathletic. Besides his passing, Jokić is not a great player. Giannis, on the other hand, is a run-up and dunk man. He is one of the main reasons why Milwaukee is 1st in the Eastern Conference, but watching his game, you don’t see top-level skill. Giannis powers through everybody when he has the ball and gets the easiest finishes–without the finesse or footwork that would constitute an MVP. In contrast, Embiid is a post-up monster and has extremely skillful footwork and ball handling that he uses every time he gets in the post. He is the most proficient center since Hakeem retired.

Embiid is unguardable, and he has had three 50-point games this season. In two of those games, he scored more than half of the points his team did in total. Most of the centers you see are only proficient at rebounding and blocking. Joel Embiid mastered both of these, along with the art of the midrange. Embiid shoots 54% from the field, which is highly impressive for someone who is 7 feet tall. There have been only a few centers that are like him; if he ever wins a championship, he could go down as one of the greatest centers to ever play in the NBA.

By Pranav Parlapall