MVP Race
1.) Joel Embiid
The only thing holding Joel Embiid back from winning this years regular season MVP award is his recent knee injury. The only player in NBA history to win the MVP while playing in less than 80% of his teams games was Bill Walton back in 1978. Joel Embiid has been so dominant that he deserves to stay near the top of the MVP race despite missing games. Embiid is on pace to average 30 per game, which hasn't been done by a center since Moses Malone’s MVP season in 1981. If Embiid ends up playing in over 70% of Philadelphias games and continues to produce at such a high level he has a good shot at becoming the first center to win MVP since Shaq did it 21 years ago.
2.) Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is putting up remarkable numbers this season. Averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds, and over 8 assists per game with great efficiency Jokic belongs in the top of every MVP discussion. The Nuggets were not meeting expectations early on in the season but they look much better as of late. If the Nuggets can keep climbing the standings and get a top 4 seed in the West, Jokic would have a very strong case for MVP.
3.) Lebron James
It is remarkable that the unquestioned best player in the world hasn't won the MVP in 8 years. Lebron knows that he has to keep his body fresh for the playoffs so he tends to pick his spots during the regular season. If the MVP included playoff body of work, Lebron would probably have 4-5 more to his name. That being said, he is still having his usual MVP caliber campaign. Averaging 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists while keeping the Lakers as one of the best teams in the West. Lebron is going to need to lead the Lakers on his own for a few more weeks until AD comes back.
4.) Damien Lillard
Damien Lillard has put the Blazers on his shoulders this season. With CJ Mcollum and Jusuf Nurkic being out for the majority of the season, Dames stellar play has kept them in the thick of things in the Western Conference playoff race. He is the best 4th quarter player we've seen since Kobe. Lillard is unstoppable in clutch time of games. Clutch time refers to the final five minutes of a game with a point difference of five or fewer. Lillard leads the league in clutch points with 124. He's shooting 60.3% from the field, 53.3% from 3-point range, and 100% from the foul line in clutch situations. His performance in the Blazers comeback against New Orleans on Tuesday night was one of the greatest 4th quarter performances I have ever witnessed. Down by 17 points with 6 minutes remaining, Lillard took the game over. He had 50 points with 20 in the 4th along with a pair of game winning free throws.
5.) James Harden
James Harden has been playing great basketball for the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn has won 13 of their last 14 thanks in large part to the superstar play of James Harden. Averaging 25 points 8 rebounds and a league high 11 assists on the hottest team in the league is more than enough to put you in the MVP conversation . Kevin Durant’s return to the lineup may diminish his numbers a bit but I still expect him to remain firmly in the MVP discussion. The biggest thing holding him back in the race is the superstar caliber players around him. It is tough to give someone MVP who isn't even the best player on his team.
Next 5:
6.) Giannis Antetokounmpo
7.) Luka Doncic
8.) Steph Curry
9.) Kyrie Irving
10.) Jimmy Butler