Sixers star Joel Embiid sits atop the latest Most Valuable Player ladder published by Michael C. Wright at NBA.com. Embiid was also Dan Devine’s choice for first half MVP in a half-season awards roundup for Yahoo Sports this week.
There’s certainly no question that Embiid has submitted an MVP-caliber performance when he’s back on the court. He’s leading the NBA in scoring for a third straight season with a career-high 35.0 points per game to go along with 11.4 rebounds and a career-best 5.9 assists for the 28-13 Sixers. On Saturday, he scored 30 or more points for a 20th consecutive game, becoming only the third player in NBA history to achieve that feat (Twitter link).
But Embiid has also missed 10 of Philadelphia’s 41 games so far, putting him on track to sit out 20 for the season. Maintaining that pace would mean he’d fall short of the 65-game minimum required for end-of-season award winners, making him ineligible for this year’s MVP award, as we covered in detail yesterday.
Even if Embiid does reach that 65-game minimum, he may not be a runaway choice for MVP, given that several other NBA superstars are having transcendent seasons for contending teams.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic has been providing the defending champion Nuggets with his usual All-NBA caliber production, including 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per night.
Jokic has also played in 42 of 43 possible games, logging 348 more minutes more than Embiid so far. That’s not an unimportant detail, given that the 29-14 Nuggets have a +11.0 net rating when their star center is on the court, compared to a -7.5 mark when he isn’t — Jokic’s ability to stay on the floor has been crucial to the team’s success.
The surprising Thunder are a half-game ahead of Denver in the standings at 29-13, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been fueling that ascent by putting up career highs in points (31.1), assists (6.3), and steals (2.2) per game to go along with a 54.9% field goal percentage. Like Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander has only missed one game this season and has led his club to a +11.0 net rating during his minutes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s elite production has become routine by this point, but his incredible production – 31.2 PPG, 11.4 RPG, and 6.0 APG with a .609 FG% – shouldn’t be overlooked. The 29-13 Bucks have a -4.6 net rating when Antetokounmpo isn’t on the court; that mark increases to +7.3 when he’s playing.
Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has boosted his scoring average to a career-best 33.6 points per game this season while also contributing 9.2 assists and 8.3 rebounds, with a .485/.376/.778 shooting line. Dallas will likely have to improve its place in the standings to help earn Doncic a real shot at this season’s award though — currently the team sits in sixth place in the West with a 24-18 mark.
Conversely, while Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has certainly had an impressive statistical season so far (26.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, .472/.367/.812 shooting), his numbers aren’t quite as gaudy as the ones posted by the players mentioned above. But his team has a 32-10 record, which is the best in the league. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins referred to Tatum on Friday as his pick for first half MVP (YouTube link).
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Kings center Domantas Sabonis are a few of the other players hovering on the fringes of the MVP race, but they’re dark-horse candidates for now.
We want to know what you think. If you were voting for an MVP based on the season to date, who would you pick? Is Embiid’s missed time a deciding factor for you or has he been valuable enough in his 31 games to earn the top spot on your ballot?
Vote below, then head to the comment section to share your two cents!
Embiid
On paper the Celtics have the best team in the league so it’s hard to give him MVP based on team success when it’s almost expected. Especially when he’s not leading the league in some major statistical category.
Even Jokic, I know he’s fantastic but it’s hard to give him the award over Embiid when Joel is averaging 10 more points per game with almost the same rebounds and Joel is putting up a career high in assists. Unless the Sixers fall off I think you’d have to give it to him over most the other bigs. The only person I can see taking it off him would be SGA. So far he’s put up really good stats, he’s leading his team to a great record and on paper before the season started no one really expected they would be this good. Going to be hard to take it from Joel but maybe games played and team record will draw some negatives while SHA makes a late season push
Maybe luka as his team isn’t contributing to his success.
Luk lacks team success and his numbers although great aren’t anything out of the ordinary for himself and aren’t quite as impressive as Joel
It’s easy to have a higher average when you sit out all the games you’re injured/tired. Not really a good comparison when Jokic battles every night and Embiid kind of cherry picks.
Jalen!
Jalen Knicks MVP ……
Embiid is tops right now. Plays both ways. Has the stats. Biggest reason for Team playing well.
It’s amazing Jokic and Embiid have been top of MVP race for yrs now. And they say the big man is going away ……. Yeah!
Could be Vic with no restrictions.
Personally I’d go with Shai. He’s a heliocentric guard that plays both ways on a team that wasn’t expected to be in the running for the top seed in the West. It’s unfortunate that he probably won’t get it, he’s got Jokić and Embiid’s star power to overcome and the fact that there is an East coast bias as a lot of the sportswriters are in bed when he plays. Yes, I know Jokić overcame it on two occasions but his case was overwhelmingly convincing in the seasons he won it as to where Shai has 3-4 other candidates with very close statistical cases that are also on good teams.
My pick is Shai. Also, five of the six players born outside the US…
That’s amazing …. no
So we all agree that right now its Jo right? And Ugo at 2?
No.
It’s Shai because embiid voter fatigue. Right guys?
You would cite voter fatigue if you had a vote even if Embiid had never won.
I’m just saying that’s why he won last year so now someone else should get a turn if we’re going to be consistent
Embiid didn’t whine because of over fatigue, he won because he and Jokić’s numbers were close and he whined non-stop on the 2nd half the of the season.
Jokic is #1 in all 3 of the +/- stats and VORP, and he’s ahead of Embiid in assists, FG% TS%, EFG%, and all 3 win shares categories.
Not to mention leading his team to a 1-0 record head to head.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to say in the 2nd paragraph but Philly won 126-121 over Denver in the only game they’ve played so far.
My failure. I meant to write that Embiid led his team to the 1-0 record head to head.
No you did not lol
Tyrese… The Pacers this year are an .800 team with him in the lineup and a .350 without him… Leads the league in assists, brilliant at running the offense and is scoring shooting well…
EMVPBIID
Luka, on account of the missed time by Embiid.
Not saying he should be MVP necessarily but he should be getting some consideration – ANT! He has been leading the Wolves to the best record in the West all season. No one expected the Wolves to even be in the playoffs this year, play-in yes, but play offs no let along #1 in the west half way through the season. We also. have had the best defense during this time. Ant plays on both sides of the ball.
The 21-22 Lakers would probably be 15-28 without Davis. I have to give him props, even though I wouldn’t consider him a true MVP.
Depends on your definition of MVP.Mine is who impacts winning more on a team that’s a legit contender to win the lot. That’s Jokic not Embiid for me. Unfortunately for Joel, until he stops turning the ball over and disappearing when it matters. I don’t care what numbers he puts up. Maybe the nba should include the whole season playoffs included before handing out the trophy.
If OKC gets top 2 seed, I don’t think you deny SGA. The West is the tougher conference so he plays against better competition throughout the season.
How is ANT not on the list? Assuming he’s the entire other %
Cade Cunningham and Monty for coach of the year