Just passed the midway point of the NBA season, a lot of tendencies have been firmly set, and it is time to seriously consider the favorites for this year’s regular-season MVP award.
The Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has recently emerged as the MVP frontrunner, particularly after scoring 70 points against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs last week.
However, Embiid sat out Saturday’s game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, prompting charges that he snubbed the reigning NBA Finals MVP.
Starting this season, NBA players must play at least 65 games to be eligible for postseason accolades, including MVP, and Embiid is on the verge of being disqualified after missing his second straight game due to a knee injury.
As a result, he is no longer the favorite to earn MVP, with Jokic rising to the top spot, according to Kevin Walsh Jr. of SportsGrid.
"I really do believe Embiid will miss out."@TheKevinWalsh addresses the updated NBA MVP odds…#LiveOdds #NBAX pic.twitter.com/06yrUaR2q7
— SportsGrid (@SportsGrid) January 30, 2024
Embiid was the MVP last season, averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, and he has improved his numbers this year to 36.0 points, 11.4 boards, and 5.8 assists per game.
What he has accomplished over the previous two or three seasons is on par with practically any other big man in NBA history, and some have even compared his scoring prowess to Wilt Chamberlain’s, who played for the 76ers in the mid-1960s.
Thanks to Embiid, the Sixers sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 29-15 record, but they will need him to be healthy if they want to win their first world title since the 1982-83 campaign.
