The Philadelphia 76ers took care of business tonight, eking out an overtime win against the Houston Rockets, 128-122, on the back of a vintage night from former MVP Joel Embiid. Something about tonight seemed to rejuvenate Embiid, and fans of the team clearly know why.

Just two years ago, facing off against the then-San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, Embiid set a franchise record by scoring 70 points, a performance that immediately etched his name in NBA history. After tonight’s game, he joked about the anniversary of the occasion, throwing in an unexpected turn in his response to the media.

“Yeah, I was just saying after the game that maybe I should have a baby on January 22nd,” Embiid joked in his postgame interview, earning laughs from the whole room.

“This seems to be a good day, so me and my wife, when I get home, we probably gonna talk about start making those calculations, and make sure that we try to have a baby on January 22nd.”

The Sixers star is married to Brazilian model Anna De Paula, and the couple currently have two children, son Arthur, and a daughter about whom not much is known. As a father, the Cameroonian has become increasingly comfortable blending family into his trademark sense of humor that he’s had throughout his career.

Embiid was also thankful for health in his postgame interview, telling reporters:

“Obviously I’m not allowed to play back-to-backs yet, so just whenever I can play, just happy to be consistent and playing every game, basically.”

For Embiid, January 22nd is just a reminder of how far he has come, not only as an MVP winner and a franchise superstar, but as someone who also has moments of success beyond the hardwood, and that showed tonight.

Joel Embiid’s Control, Tyrese Maxey’s Finish Power Sixers Past Rockets

Joel Embiid was the constant tonight for the Philadelphia 76ers, keeping the game steady when things began to slip. He finished the game with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, controlling the second quarter with physical play and poise, living at the free throw line during that stretch. He kept pushing into the post, punishing the Rockets for sending help, helping build a 68-61 lead before halftime.

As the game tightened, Embiid’s off-ball gravity opened up the game for co-star Tyrese Maxey. With the Rockets leading 107-101, the star guard took over, erupting for 11 points in the final four minutes of regulation, helped by Embiid’s nine. Hope stayed alive for the Rockets when a swat of Maxey’s final shot was ruled clean despite replays showing a clear goaltend, and Philadelphia unable to challenge. The game was tied 115 to start overtime.

In the extra period, Maxey kept going, and was joined by Kelly Oubre Jr. for some timely buckets, with the guard sealing the win with foul shots followed by a transition dunk. Notable, Embiid played 46 minutes tonight, his highest playtime in a game in three years, and his slow ascent back to MVP-level offensive player seems to be going well.