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sports Wednesday 2 February 2022

Embiid turns dominant season for 76ers into case for MVP

By DAN GELSTON the days of load manage-
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel ment? — to rest.
Embiid burst out of the He had a scheduled main-
76ers locker room with wild tenance day off Mon-
enthusiasm, and the 7-foot- day, ending a streak of
er about wiped out staff 21 straight games played,
members as he pinballed the second-longest stretch
down a corridor to the of his career. Embiid aver-
court. With Embiid sitting aged 33.1 points during the
out the game, Philadelphia streak to lift his season scor-
pulled off an overtime thrill- ing average to 29.1 points
er against Memphis, and per game, which ranked
the All-Star wanted to cel- second in the league be-
ebrate with his teammates. hind Kevin Durant's 29.3
The big man was just a by- points entering Tuesday.
stander in this one. Embiid Embiid did finish runner-
stood by like a well-heeled up last season to Denver's
fan in the front row as he Nikola Jokic in MVP vot-
smiled and high-fived the ing. While the Denver star
Sixers on their way back was a deserving winner, he
to the locker room. Tyrese played in 72 games and
Maxey only moments ear- logged 2,488 minutes to Em-
lier had about been swal- biid's 51 games and 1,585
lowed up by the crowd and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) in action during the second half of an NBA basketball minutes. Monday marked
the rush of the Sixers after a game against the Washington Wizards, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Washington. Embiid's 12th missed game,
high-flying layup sealed the Associated Press nine of which he missed
Sixers' fifth straight win. due to health and safety
Even when he's off, Embiid named an All-Star starter enade him with each night been conditioning and in- protocols. The last time he
is always in the mix for the for five straight seasons could be certified fact by jury issues that have made sat out was Dec. 13 and his
Sixers. since Allen Iverson, and he next opening night instead his availability at times play over the last six weeks
"He's our MVP," Maxey said. just might be the front-run- of simply a wishful melody. more fickle than durable. shot him to the top as the
That much around Phila- ner for NBA MVP as well. The biggest knock on Embi- Through 38 games, Em- +230 favorite to win the
delphia is certain. The booming "MVP! MVP!" id, the No. 3 pick in the 2014 biid has largely put those MVP award, according to
Embiid is the first Sixer chants that Philly fans ser- draft, over his career has concerns — remember FanDuel Sportsbook. q

MLB lockout talks to resume Tuesday as spring training nears

By RONALD BLUM the union's framework to through COVID-19 proto-
NEW YORK (AP) — Base- funnel additional money cols.
ball labor negotiations are to pre-arbitration-eligible This is probably the last
set to resume Tuesday, just players from central rev- week to reach a deal that
over two weeks before the enue, offering a $10 mil- would allow a timely start
scheduled start of a spring lion pool based on awards to spring training. Own-
training that's threatened and WAR. The union has ers are scheduled to meet
by a lockout. asked for $105 million for from Feb. 8-10 in Orlando,
The sport's ninth work stop- the group, usually about 30 Florida, making it less likely
page began Dec. 2 after players annually. there could be negotia-
the expiration of a five-year Tuesday's session will be the tions over those days.
labor contract, and the first on the central issues Given the need for at least
sides did not meet again since then, and the sides three weeks of workouts,
on the central economic don't agree on many eco- opening day on March
issues until Jan. 24, when nomic proposals, leaving 31 would be threatened if
players withdrew their pro- very little time to end the there is not an agreement Major League Baseball deputy commissioner Dan Halem, cen-
posal for more liberalized lockout and avoid disrupt- by late February or early ter, arrives for a meeting in New York, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022,
free agency. ing the Feb. 16 scheduled March. for the first in-person baseball negotiating session since the
Management responded start of spring training work- Players want arbitration eli- MLB lockout began. At far left is Patrick Houlihan, Senior Vice
the following day by with- outs. Players would need gibility extended to those President & Deputy General Counsel, Labor Relations at Ma-
drawing its proposal for several days to travel to with at least two years of jor League Baseball, and second from left is Colorado Rockies
more limited salary arbitra- team complexes in Arizona major-league service, its owner Dick Montfort. Associated Press
tion. Clubs also accepted and Florida, plus time to go level from 1974-86. q