NBA MVP: Who Will Win Between Jokic, Embiid and Giannis?
The race for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award is always highly contested, and this year is no exception. With the regular season coming to a close, the top three candidates for the award are Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Each of these players has put up impressive numbers and played a critical role in their team's success, making it difficult to predict who will ultimately come out on top. In this article, we'll take a closer look at each player's performance this season and assess their chances of winning the NBA MVP award.
Introduction
The NBA MVP award is given to the player who has had the most significant impact on their team's success during the regular season. The winner is determined by a vote from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters from around the country. This year, the top three candidates for the award are Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic has had an outstanding season for the Denver Nuggets, leading his team to a fourth-place finish in the Western Conference. Jokic has averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field and 38.8% from beyond the arc. He's been a force to be reckoned with on the offensive end of the floor, and his ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates has been instrumental in the Nuggets' success.
Jokic's advanced statistics also make a strong case for his MVP candidacy. He leads the league in Player Efficiency Rating (PER), Win Shares, and Box Plus/Minus (BPM). Jokic's PER of 31.3 is the highest in NBA history for a player who averaged over 8 assists per game.
Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has been the driving force behind the Philadelphia 76ers' success this season. He's averaged 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range. Embiid has been a dominant force on both ends of the floor, averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.
Embiid's advanced statistics are also impressive. He ranks third in PER, fifth in Win Shares, and fourth in BPM. Embiid's ability to dominate in the post and stretch the floor with his outside shooting has made him a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the reigning NBA MVP and has had another outstanding season for the Milwaukee Bucks. He's averaged 28.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 56.9% from the field and 30.3% from three-point range. Antetokounmpo has been a force on both ends of the floor, averaging 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.
Giannis' advanced statistics also make a strong case for his MVP candidacy. He ranks second in PER, fourth in Win Shares, and third in BPM. His ability to dominate in transition and finish at the rim has made him one of the most unstoppable players in the league.