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“LeBron James gets another big break”: Skip Bayless releases controversial take on Lakers star’s MVP chances following Joel Embiid injury

Samir Mehdi
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“LeBron James gets another big break”: Skip Bayless releases controversial take on Lakers star’s MVP chances following Joel Embiid injury

Following Joel Embiid’s injury, Skip Bayless says LeBron James has received yet another break when it comes to winning the MVP.

 The 2021 MVP race has been quite an interesting one so far. With LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic battling it out for the number one spot on the MVP leaderboard, there was little to no telling for the first 25 games of the season on who could snag the coveted award. 

Joel Embiid seemed to be a near clear cut favorite to receive MVP honors in the first half of the season. Averaging 30 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, all while having Philadelphia hold a vice-grip on the number one seed out East, Jojo has been doing it all for the Sixers. 

However, in his first game back from the All-Star Break, Philly’s terrible injury luck of the past years has come back to potentially haunt them once again. Midway through the 3rd quarter in a bout against the Wizards, Embiid landed awkwardly on his left leg. We are yet to receive a confirmed injury report as the Cameroonian awaits an MRI.

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Skip Bayless puts the Joel Embiid injury in perspective, says LeBron James has a better shot at MVP

Skip Bayless took to Twitter to use the Joel Embiid injury as a means to downplay a potential LeBron James 2021 MVP season:

“Another big break for LeBron James. Now, despite an awful month leading into the All-Star break, LeBron has an opportunity to reinstate his MVP case.” 

Though this may be an insensitive tweet to put out, Skip does have a point. Coming out of the All-Star break, Embiid was the clear-cut favorite to win the MVP, as long as he produced at the same level he has been for the first half of the season. 

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LeBron James, who has been fluctuating between the first and second spots in the MVP leaderboard, now has a clear runway to potentially overtake Embiid in the MVP race. Granted, James and the Lakers need to string together wins on a consistent basis until D returns. 

If Embiid were to miss out on merely a couple of weeks of action, due to the dense nature of the schedule in the second half, he may not even be eligible to be a candidate for MVP when it’s all said and done. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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