Who is the NBA MVP?!


This year's race for the Most Valuable Player in the NBA award may be one of the most difficult races yet. There is no clear cut favorite. Sports writers have been boasting about Nikola Jokic's stats all year, but his team doesn't have the wins that have been synonymous of the teams that have possessed the MVPs in the years past. Joel Embiid's team is a top four seed in the East and a title contender, but has he been quite dominant enough to win the most coveted individual accolade? Giannis is having another stellar season, and his team too is a top four team in the East looking to repeat off of last year's NBA Championship. In my opinion, that's the top 3 candidates. There are some other guys that have shown themselves worthy of consideration such as: Lebron James, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, DeMar DeRozan, Ja Morant, Chris Paul & Devin Booker, but I think the Joker, The Greek Freak, and Mr. Trust The Process are the only guys that have a serious chance of winning. 

Nikola Jokic

In past years, the NBA’s MVP award has gone to the best player on the best team, or at least one of the best teams. This year if Jokic wins, that will end that tradition. The Nuggets have been in the middle of the Western Conference Playoff race and I would suspect that without Jamal Murray, that they won’t make it past the second round. Be it as it may, Jokic is getting serious consideration as this year’s MVP, and he’s been the front runner for most of the season. The Joker boasts the highest efficiency rating in the NBA and is filling up the stat sheet yet again. He’s putting up 27 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block per game. By definition of the word “valuable”, Jokic is probably the most valuable to his team. He leads the Nuggets in scoring, rebounding, blocks, steals, and assists. The Nuggets would be at the bottom of the Western Conference without him. But my question is, can the MVP really go to a guy who plays on a team that is not a NBA Championship contender?

Giannis Antetokounmpo 

Giannis is the best player on one of the title contenders and one of the best overall teams in the NBA. Actually, Giannis is arguable the best player in the world, and that statement is becoming less and less arguable over time. I do feel that when players get to a point where they can basically win every year, sports writers start to create certain narratives to overwrite those dominant players. As long as I can remember, the MVP has gone to the best player on one of, if not the best team in the NBA. BUT, this year sports writers keep putting Jokic at the top of their lists. His team is in 6th place in the West! They're not a title contender and they're not going to win a championship. Giannis, on the other hand is again having another stellar season. The Greek Freak is putting up 30 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1.5 blocks per game for a team that can win the NBA Championship back to back. But hey, maybe The Joker is having such a ridiculously "valuable" season that he's breaking the mold of the past MVPs. I just hate for guys to get penalized just because they have a decent team. In all honesty, Nikola Jokic is the most "valuable" to his team than any other player in the NBA. Without Jamal Murray, MPJ, AND Jokic the Nuggets are a bottom of the Western Conference type team. I just want the sports writers and whoever votes on the panel this year to keep the same energy each year. Don't change it for one guy. Is it the Most Valuable Player award or the Most Successful Individual Season award?

Joel Embiid

The last player to round out my top 3 is Joel Embiid. The big man is putting up 30 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Joel is an interesting case, because similarly to Giannis his team is a top four team in the Eastern Conference and his team is a title contender. Now, he also has a similarity to Jokic as well. Before Harden was traded to Philly, Joel Embiid was in a similar position to Jokic, being THE GUY on a team that wouldn't be very competitive without him. Embiid had to put the 76ers on his back while dealing with the Ben Simmons ordeal off the court, and Philadelphia was still near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Philly has faltered a bit this past week and may end up in the 4th spot to finish out the regular season, but the big man has done a great job leading his team throughout the whole season. Is it enough to win the MVP?

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