Joel Embiid Injury Re-Ignites MVP Race
Noah Wilson, Staff Writer |
Throughout the entirety of the 2023-24 NBA season, franchise player Joel Embiid has been a heavy favourite as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). That was until the star went down with a long-term knee injury.
This season the NBA added a rule that in order to win the MVP trophy, a player must play a minimum of 65 games. If a player does not meet these 65 games they will be deemed ineligible to win the award.
Unfortunately for Embiid and the 76ers, this injury will put him under the 65-game threshold eliminating him from any contention for a back-to-back MVP trophy.
The whole premise of the MVP award is it goes to a valuable player in the NBA that impacts his team in the greatest way. This year we have seen many familiar faces rise to contention for the coveted trophy but also we are seeing some new faces in the fold who have broken out into superstardom. Let’s explore the players who deserve some recognition.
Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Two-time most valuable player winner Nikola Jokic currently sits atop the MVP ladder as we head into the All-Star break. This comes as a surprise to no one. The Nuggets currently sit fourth overall in the west with a 36-19 record. Jokic has solidified himself as arguably the best player in the league and is the engine that runs the Nuggets juggernaut that won it all in 2023. This season Jokic has been very impressive statistically posting 26.3 points per game, 12.2 rebounds, and 9.0 assists shooting at 58 per cent. Every game Jokic plays he is an extremely dangerous triple-double threat that leaves teams he plays in ruins. As the Nuggets look to repeat another championship run for 2024, Jokic will have to continue to lead the charge as one of the most complete players we’ve ever seen.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)- Oklahoma City Thunder
At number two in the rankings, we have a player who has broken out into one of the best point guards in the NBA. What’s been most impressive about Gigelous-Alexander’s rise to excellence has been he’s also taken his team with him, going from a 10th-place finish in the west last season to now being a second seed with a 37-17 record heading into the all-star break. SGA has been sensational posting 31.1 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. What’s been the most eye-opening category with SGA this season among fans has been his ability to score the basketball. We saw glimpses of this scoring prowess in the FIBA World Cup this past summer, but he has taken it to a new level for the 2023-24 season. Even if he doesn’t take home the MVP this May, Gilgeous-Alexander will be a perennial MVP front-runner for years to come. He’s that special and is the heart and soul of this Oklahoma City team.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokoumpo has found himself in MVP conversations for about six solid seasons tracing back to 2019. In that span, he has taken home two MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, while also finishing top 3 in votes from 2021-2023. As you can see, Antetokounmpo has always been a consistently dominant player in the league which is why he is always in the running to win an MVP trophy. This season Antetokounmpo has produced 30.7 points a game, 11.7 rebounds, and career-high 6.3 assists per game. At this point in his career, many fans argue that there is some voter fatigue which is why he won’t win it. Although that may be the case in some eyes, his team is third in the east with a 37-20 record. I predict Antetokounmpo will have to play the best he has ever played from now to the end of the season if he wants any chance to be the most valuable this year. One thing is for sure, MVP or no MVP it’s clear Antetokounmpo wants to bring another championship to Milwaukee and he has a great opportunity to accomplish that.
Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers this season have taken the league by surprise. Not only have they been an excellent team as a whole, but also have one of the best and upcoming stars in the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton has been brilliant as a pure playmaking point guard. So good that fans are comparing him to the great John Stockon. The Wisconsin native has put up incredible stat lines this season, posting multiple 20-assist performances while averaging a league-leading 11.7 assists per game. To compliment, he’s produced a stellar 21.8 points per game. The Pacers currently sit in sixth place in the east with a 31-25 record. Without Haliburtion’s performance this season, it would be interesting to see where the Pacers would sit. Most would think they wouldn’t be in the position they are in now, probably much lower in the standings. Haliburton has been invaluable for the Pacers this season which is why I believe he deserves some credit for the MVP. He has made Indiana his city at only 23 years of age. He has a great career ahead of him, and like SGA, expect him to be in the MVP conversation for years to come.
Honorable Mention – Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Tatum has been nothing short of elite this season. Posting 30.1 points per game, he’s been a scoring threat from everywhere on the court. The Celtics currently sit first in the NBA with a 42-12 record. What’s holding him back is the tremendous supporting cast around him, the Celtics are a very complete, dominant team. If he continues the pace he’s on however there’s no doubt Tatum can shoot up the rankings to even number one, he’s been that good.
