Where does Joel Embiid fare in 2023 NBA MVP race?
The NBA Playoffs are within sight and the 2023 NBA MVP race is coming to a close. 2x winner, Nikola Jokic has been dominant this year, but it’s Joel Embiid who has taken things to a whole new level. After a season-long struggle, it finally looks as if this is going to be the year that Joel Embiid gets the respect he deserves.
NBA MVP Odds: Joel Embiid asserts his dominance
| Joel Embiid | -250 |
| Nikola Jokic | +240 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +700 |
| Jayson Tatum | +10000 |
Joel Embiid firml ahead of Nikola Jokic in the NBA MVP race
Joel Embiid was tied with Luka Doncic at +500 before the 2023 season started. A late-season surge from the Cameroonian saw the two bigs draw neck and neck and as the playoffs draw ever closer, it looks like Embiid has finally broken clear.
When colliding with Giannis on Sunday, Embiid put up 28 points, 9 boards, and 5 assists. Giannis had the better stat line and the Bucks won the contest, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Center is leading the league in points per game and 7th in rebounds per game. Giannis might be a two-time winner, but with Embiid converting on .549% from the field this season, it’s hard to look elsewhere.
As for Jokic and the Nuggets, they are still dominating the Western Conference with a 52-26 record and Jokic has been at the heart and soul of that charge. Averaging a 24-point triple-double is genuinely stunning and leaves Joel Embiid needing to perform at a ridiculous level to even have a chance of winning the award. The good news is, he’s done all that and then some in a much tougher conference where a 51-win record is only good enough for 3rd.
Joel Embiid has answered the call. While he isn’t assisting as much as Jokic, his scoring is scary, his defense is somehow scarier, and he’s clearly taken the lack of MVP respect personally.
When the two bigs clashed in January, it was Embiid & the Sixers who left with their heads held high. Joel put up 47 points and 18 rebounds in the win.
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If the time of Embiid being the NBA MVP is coming, then there may be no better time to back him. His odds will only shorten as the chip on his shoulder grows and his dominance hits new heights. We said this a week ago when he was -150. The odds are already -250.
The Sixers are well-placed to make a playoff run, but can Embiid really guide them to being the top-seeded team in the East?
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NBA MVP Odds: Best betting offers
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
