The race for the MVP title is very much on, with a whole host of players pushing Joel Embiid all the way to the end of the season.
Of course, among 76ers fans it is hard to imagine the MVP crown going to anyone else, but for more impartial viewers the race is a lot tighter, as the likes of current holder Nikola Jokic and former winner Giannis Antetokounmpo put in consistently high-level performances.
Why No One Can Match Embiid
Not since Shaq has there been a center as dominant as Joel Embiid, at least that is the opinion of his legions of fans, many of whom have delighted in including in him in their picks and parlay bets this NBA season. At the time of writing, he has notched an incredible twelve forty-point games and he has backed up that scoring by also notching more than ten rebounds in at least twelve games across the regular season as well. Few other players in the league’s history have ever managed such a feat, and it shows the strength and depth in playing talent that exists in the league this season, that at the current moment in time, online NBA predictions are forecasting him sitting third in the MVP power rankings. That will not stop plenty of ardent 76ers fans betting on Embiid to be crowned the most valuable player out there in the NBA today.
Why Jokic Will Complete the Repeat
There is nothing written in the rules of the MVP race about people not being able to win back-to-back crowns, with the likes of Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all having achieved the feat in recent times. The stage is now set for Nikola Jokic to do the same, having easily been the stand-out player during the 20/21 season, and continuing that form into the 21/22 campaign.
By the time this article goes to print, he will have easily surpassed the two-thousand-point mark for the season as well as having notched one thousand rebounds and a whopping five hundred assists. He will become the first ever player to do this and that alone makes him the clear favorite among betting experts to reclaim his MVP title.
The NBA is a high scoring league where big men who are also gifted with incredible athleticism are rising to the top
Why the Greek Freak Should Never Be Discounted
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a force of nature and two years on since his last MVP triumph, he is still arguably the most devastating all-court player in the league. In truth, his stats this season do not quite live up to those of his MVP rivals, but his overall consistency in delivering twenty-five-point games and effortless double-doubles still makes him an outside shot to beat Embiid and Jokic.
There would be few dissenting voices were he to claim his third MVP crown, but most of the smart money is going against him at this point. There is still time for him to prove all those people wrong.
Why Devin Booker Makes the Suns Shine
It is pretty hard to see beyond the three stars who have already been mentioned, but it would be harsh not to include Devin Booker on this list because, after all, he has spearheaded the best regular-season team in the league.
The Phoenix Suns have simply been relentless throughout 21/22, and he is undoubtedly their star man. His form has not once faltered and rather than fading away during the second half of the season he ramped up his numbers in March, averaging just over thirty points per game and over six assists.
With all eyes now on the Suns to see if they can translate that regular-season form into post-season gains, Booker has a chance to highlight himself as one of the most revered talents in the league.
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
