MVP: Joel Will Not Be Robbed This Season

Joel Embiid has been nothing short of dominant this season in the NBA. For the past two years, Embiid has put up impressive seasons like he did this year but was robbed of the MVP by Nikola Jokic.  Embiid has been the driving force behind the Philadelphia 76ers’ success this season, leading them to the top of the Eastern Conference. He has truly established himself as one of the best players in the league this year, and that MVP better be coming his way.

Of all Embiid’s successes and improvements this year, his field goal efficiency has not gone unnoticed. He is shooting a career-high 51.2 percent from the field and averaging a career-best 30 points per game. Embiid’s ability to score efficiently from the field while also being a tremendous threat on defense has been a critical factor for the 76ers’ success this season. Embiid is currently averaging 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, and his significant presence in the paint has made it hard for teams to score on offense. With just these stats speaking, it has made the 76ers a threatening team to verse, just from one player!

When asked if he thinks Embiid should win MVP, Charlie Clontz says, “Joel Embiid should win NBA MVP because he is averaging a career-high 33.1 points, leading the NBA, while averaging a career-high in assists and field goal percentage. Embiid does this while also providing elite interior defense and rim protection, something his main competitor, Nikola Jokic, struggles with, especially in the playoffs, where teams are known to target him on defense specifically.” This is a strong take, but what experts and followers of basketball have noticed is that Embiid has stats to back up his deservingness of MVP. Parker Wood takes a more direct approach to this question, “Yes [He deserves to win MVP] because the other people don’t deserve to win; he had the best year of his career.” All opinions aside, if we look at the stats, Embiid outdoes Jokic in more statistical categories this season.

As the playoffs progress in high tension, I hope to see more of these tremendous stats from Embiid and see that MVP awarded to him at the end of the season. He has put the team on his back in various games and is keeping that dominant playstyle we all love to see.

Sources:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1891203-meet-kansas-joel-embiid-a-cameroon-native-blossoming-into-a-top-nba-prospect  

https://boardroom.tv/joel-embiid-76ers-nba-mvp/  

https://www.thetriangle.org/sports/embiid-the-case-for-embiid-as-mvp/