5 best performances of the 2017-18 NBA season

4. Joel Embiid vs. Lakers, 11/15/18

Notable Stats: 46 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assist, 7 blocks

This is the kind of performance that reminds you of the mind boggling box scores that Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson routinely used to put up back in the 1990s. Embiid did absolutely everything on the court, showing off an unfair amount of skill in numerous facets of the game.

On the offensive side of the ball his full arsenal was on display. Embiid dominated Julius Randle and Larry Nance in the post throughout the game, and then busted out a smooth euro step to roast Brook Lopez at the rim. He comfortably knocked in mid-range shots, stepping behind the line and draining a pair of 3-pointers. And just a few weeks after the Warriors gave him serious trouble with double teams, Embiid had already adjusted. When the Lakers threw multiple bodies at him he was ready, expertly  whipping the ball to open or cutting teammates. The Process abused the Lakers for 46 points and shot 14 of 20 from the field while adding 16 points from the free throw line.

On the other end of the floor, Embiid was just as dominant and submitted an early gem for his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy. He owned the paint and made his overwhelming presence felt time and time again, swatting seven shots. We’ve had plenty of moments over the last two seasons that have signaled the arrival of Joel Embiid as a legitimate superstar on the court. This one is damn hard to top though: