After yet another dominant performance this past Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has, at long last, claimed the top spot on Kia’s MVP ladder.
The Sixers are rolling at the right time of year. Though they are 7-3 in their last 10, they have won 6 straight and 12 of their previous 15. In that time, 33.5 points to go along with 10.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.9 blocks. During Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak, Joel Embid has been out of this world, averaging 36.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.5 blocks while shooting 60.0 from the field, 50.0% from three, and 85.9% from the line
This performance has not only put Joel Emblid at the top of the Kia MVP ladder, but it has made him the odds-on favorite to win as well. After two-time Nikola Jokic dominated the odds for most of the season, Embiid has now flipped the script as he is currently listed at -110 to win the award. In contrast, Jokic has fallen to +150, and Giannis Antetokounmpo sits at +350.
While some of Embiid’s rise can be attributed to other candidates having what, only for them, could be considered a subpar week, make no mistake. Joel Embiid seized this opportunity and now needs to finish out the final 14 games of the season in similar fashion to claim his first MVP award.
