Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) were named NBA MVPs on Monday, the two players achieving a feat that has only happened three times in NBA history. .

Joel Embiid, 70 points in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs

Embiid became just the ninth player in history to score at least 70 points in a single game (he also had 18 rebounds and 5 assists). The Cameroonian succeeded (in the game with the San Antonio Spurs, the score was 133-123. From the other team, young Victor Vembanyama (33p, 7r and 2a) scored.

Joel achieved this 18 years before the second-best score by a player in NBA history (Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006).

“Since I started playing basketball, it was Kobe who inspired me. He is the reason why I am now a professional athlete” – Joel Embiid.

NBA – Most points scored by a player in one game

Wilt Chamberlain – 100 vs. New York Knicks (March 2, 1962)

Kobe Bryant – 81 vs. Toronto Raptors (January 22, 2006)

Wilt Chamberlain – 78 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (December 8, 1961)

David Thompson – 73 vs Detroit Pistons (April 9, 1978)

Wilt Chamberlain – 73 vs. New York Knicks (November 16, 1962)

Wilt Chamberlain – 73 vs. Chicago Packers (January 13, 1962)

Wilt Chamberlain – 72 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (November 3, 1962)

David Robinson – 71 vs. Los Angeles Clippers (April 24, 1994)

Elgin Baylor – 71 vs. New York Knicks (November 15, 1960)

Damian Lillard – 71 vs. Houston Rockets (February 26, 2023)

Donovan Mitchell – 71 vs. Chicago Bulls (January 2, 2023)

Devin Booker – 70 vs. Boston Celtics (March 24, 2017)

Wilt Chamberlain – 70 vs. Syracuse Nationals (March 10, 1963)

Joel Embiid – 70 vs. San Antonio Spurs (January 22, 2024).

Karl-Anthony Towns’ second career game with at least 60 points

Also on Monday, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 62 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but his team suffered an upset loss to the Charlotte Hornets 125-128.

Towns became the seventh player in NBA history to score at least 60 points in multiple games.

Wilt Chamberlain – 32 games with at least 60 points

Kobe Bryant – 6 games

Damian Lillard – 5 games

Michael Jordan – 4 games

James Harden – 4 games

Elgin Baylor – 3 games

Karl-Anthony Towns – 2 games

Only three times have two players scored at least 60 points on the same NBA day:

April 9, 1978: David Thompson (73) and George Gerwin (63)

January 17, 1962: Jerry West (63) and Wilt Chamberlain (62)

December 8, 1961: Wilt Chamberlain (78) and Elgin Baylor (63).