Comparing Embiid's historic line to career games from other elite big men
Prior to Wednesday's matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers, which featured the first meeting between Ben Simmons and Lonzo Ball, no player in NBA history had scored 46 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, dished out seven assists, and blocked seven shots in a single outing.
Joel Embiid notched that line and overshadowed both rookies in Philadelphia's six-point win at Staples Center, making it look almost effortless in the process.
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The 7-footer was dominant as he once again got a healthy dose of minutes (34). It was without a doubt his strongest performance to date, but still just a taste of what's to come for a player who has only suited up 43 times since 2014 due to injury.
While his 46-15-7-7 box score has never been replicated, other big men from both the past - most of whom reside in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - and present have put up similar numbers themselves during the regular season.
Legends
| Player | Date | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | 15/11/2017 | 46 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 06/03/2000 | 61 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | 23/03/1996 | 46 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| David Robinson | 24/04/1994 | 71 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Karl Malone | 27/01/1990 | 61 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Tim Duncan | 04/03/2003 | 35 | 21 | 8 | 2 | 4 |
| Alonzo Mourning | 23/02/2000 | 43 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Patrick Ewing | 07/01/1990 | 44 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| Yao Ming | 22/02/2004 | 41 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| Charles Barkley | 30/11/1988 | 41 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Kevin Garnett | 04/01/2005 | 47 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Kevin McHale | 03/03/1985 | 56 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Current crop
| Player | Date | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | 15/11/2017 | 46 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Anthony Davis | 21/02/2016 | 59 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 25/01/2016 | 56 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 30/11/2016 | 47 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Dwight Howard | 17/02/2009 | 45 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | 05/11/2017 | 40 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Nikola Jokic | 07/11/2017 | 41 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Marc Gasol | 01/12/2015 | 38 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
(Courtesy: Basketball-Reference's Game Score)
It's far too early to tell if Embiid's name will be mentioned in the same breath as the game's all-time greats. He may never be as imposing as Shaquille O'Neal, as fluid as Hakeem Olajuwon, or master the fundamentals like Tim Duncan. After nights like Wednesday, though, it's clear the potential is there for the 23-year-old to get on their level.