NBA MVP Race: Embiid, Jokic, and Giannis All Eye The League's Top Award

Left to Right: Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić

By: Joshua Martin

It's always difficult to separate the best from the best. And this year’s MVP race, more than normal, is the closest it's been in quite some time. 

The newly minted Michael Jordan Trophy - awarded to the KIA NBA Most Valuable Player, doesn't reflect who is actually the best player in the league but his value to his organization. Which basically means, team context matters, along with impressive counting stats.

As the NBA season draws to a close, There are three MVP-level players who are clearly having MVP-caliber seasons.

I'm not a voter but if I had to place my money on a candidate, I would go with Embiid. The fact that Giannis and Jokic have won MVPs already benefits him greatly in this year’s race. 

However, let's do our due diligence and make cases for each of the top three candidates. 

1.)Why He Deserves the Trophy

2.)Why He Won't WIn It

We are literally splitting hairs with this one, which often makes debates such as this one quite contentious and fairly complicated. But let’s take it back to the basics, what do your eyes tell you?

1. Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers Star Joel Embiid

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

“The Process” has been on a mission this season. It seems as if the 76ers recent playoff disappointments have motivated the big man to take his game to an even higher level. 

1.) Embiid has the counting stats - 33.6 ppg 10.3 rbg 1.8 bpg on 55% shooting from the floor.

He leads the league in scoring and is top ten in rebounds, blocks and free throw attempts.

His team at the moment is the third seed in the East and is poised to make a strong playoff push. 

He deserves the award because of his overall play. I've never seen a traditional Center with his shooting ability, the Sixers even trust Embiid to hit their technical free throws. 

2.) The biggest detraction one could make is body language apparently. On a radio show on Sirius FM Radio, Hall of Fame Coach George Karl had this to say about Embiid. 

“I don’t want to bad mouth Embiid because I think he’s really, really good… But he takes too many possessions off. He has lazy body language.” - George Karl

Not sure if body language should be high on the voter’s list of meaningful criteria but when you're having the type of season Embiid is having it can't all be hugs and kisses.

2. Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic

1.) “The Joker '' is probably one of the more unique players we've ever seen. Normally when you think of an athlete dominating his or her sport, one would often envision supreme athleticism. This isn't the Joker’s style. The 6 '11 Serbian big man routinely posts video game-like numbers for a Denver Nuggets squad currently sitting atop the Western Conference. 

His 24.7 ppg 11.9 rbg 9.9 apg is nothing to sneeze at either. Jokic may be the least disposable player on this list. To put it simply, the Nuggets perform as the best team in the league with Jokic and are the worst team by a mile without him.  

2.) Voter fatigue may be the reason Jokic doesn't claim his 3rd consecutive MVP. Something we haven't seen since Larry Bird back in the 80’s. (1984-1986)

Unfortunately, We’ve seen this before. Many fans have grown numb to Jokic’s gaudy stat line. His poor defensive performances against elite competition doesn't help his case either. 

Draymond shared his thoughts on the race on his podcast.

“Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo is who I believe the MVP race has come down to. [Nikola Jokic], incredible year, [but] as of late he’s slipped and those guys have continued to ascend. As of late the Denver Nuggets have slipped and those two teams have ascended,” Green said in the latest episode of his podcast, The Draymond Green Show, per NBC Sports Bay Area.

With this being such a tight race, how you finish is definitely more important than how you start. They are currently 5-5 in their last ten games and their once stranglehold on the West has dwindled to a 3 and half game lead. 

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

1.) “The Greek Freak” checks all the boxes. His stat line is comparable to his contemporaries on this list. He is currently averaging 31.3 ppg 11.9 rbg 5.6 apg and he has the Milwaukee Bucks atop the Eastern Conference. No one plays the game with more effort and energy on both sides of the ball. With the recent slippage of the Nuggets and Embiid’s reputation, Giannis might capture his 3rd MVP. 

2.) Familiarity breeds contempt. As in the case with Jokic, we have seen this before. We all know how great Giannis is. To be honest it's not a stretch to call him the best player in the league regardless of numbers or accolades. Our numbness to his dominance exists through no fault of his own. In fact he recently voiced his frustrations with the ever evolving criteria for the MVP trophy. 

“Like, I believe — and I know — that people are dominating,” the Bucks forward said, via The Athletic. “So what is the MVP? Is it the guy who scores the most points? Is it the guy who’s the most efficient? Is it the guy who is the most dominant? Is it the guy who is the most valuable? Sometimes, the best player isn’t the most valuable player on the team. Like, I feel like Brook [Lopez] is such a valuable player for our team. Like [the MVP criteria] just f*****g — sorry for my language — it just changes. As I said again, I can’t control that. I can control only how I prepare for the game and try to be ready for the game.” 

Hmmm… My thoughts exactly.

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