Joel Embiid continues to build his MVP case after 2 straight runners-up finishes with another 30-point display in a win.
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After a slow start to the season, the Philadelphia 76ers have taken off into good form. With a record of 33-17, they stand only 1 loss behind the league-leading Boston Celtics.
Ever since James Harden returned from an injury-enforced absence, they sport a 23-6 record. Joel Embiid has amped up his play on both ends of the floor and has dominated practically everyone.
Tyrese Maxey also seems to have progressed from his first 2 seasons in the league. The youngster is speeding past defenders and finishing with aplomb in the paint.
While Montrezl Harrell is less than ideal and PJ Tucker is yet to pan out, the Sixers conceivably have the league’s best 1-2 punch. If they can maintain their health, they are quite capable of making the NBA Finals this year.
Joel Embiid turns in his 24th game with 30+ points on 50+% from the field, joins Luka Doncic
The Sixers ran out easy winners at the AT&T Center tonight. They had the lead from the 2nd quarter onwards and never relinquished it till the end.
Joel Embiid was his usual dominant self, but even more so considering the level of competition. He didn’t face much resistance, and played only 28 minutes on the night.
But Embiid managed to put up a double-double in that time, making 10 of his 18 field goal attempts. The Cameroonian finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals to his name.
This was his 24th game shooting over 50% from the field while tallying 30+ points this season. He trails Luka Doncic by only 3 games – the Slovenian has 27 of those to his name.
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Can Embiid win an MVP trophy finally this year?
It is quite clear that Joel Embiid has maintained his position as a dominant force in the NBA. 2 successive 2nd-place finishes in MVP voting underline this fact.
However, Nikola Jokic is having likely the best season of his career at the moment. The Serbian center has led the Nuggets to the #1 seed in the West already. He’s posting a statline of 25 points, 11 rebounds, 10.1 assists per game on a whopping 63.2% shooting from the field.
Embiid himself is the leading scorer in the NBA this season, averaging 33.5 points per game. He’s also making a campaign for an All-Defensive Team selection with his play.
But it looks increasingly likely that Jokic will take home MVP honors for the 3rd straight year. His displays have been just too dominant this year to ignore.
