Joel Embiid Returns from Injury, Scores 41 Points in 76ers Victory

Embiid's Performance Puts Him on Track for MVP, Despite Eligibility Concerns

Reigning league MVP Joel Embiid returned from his latest injury to score 41 points and grab 10 rebounds in leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 124-115 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Embiid's 17 straight games with 30 points are a franchise record. He earned his seventh 40-point double-double this season, the most in the NBA.
Embiid's health is crucial to a Philadelphia team hopeful of a deep playoff run. However, his absences have placed his candidacy for another MVP trophy on the rocks.
The new collective bargaining agreement requires players to play in 65 regular-season games to be eligible for awards such as MVP or the All-NBA teams. Embiid can miss only eight more games out of the final 44 before he is no longer eligible for MVP.
Embiid indicated he'll be ready for his 29th game of the year Tuesday in an anticipated home matchup against two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the defending champion Denver Nuggets.