WHO'S THE REAL M.V.P.?

NBA / Basketball

Written by Eddie Huband

With two weeks left in the season, it’s time to stop beating around the bush with picking an MVP.

I know some Devin Booker fans will be mad at this, but this is a three-horse race between Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic who’s looking for the award in back-to-back seasons.

Source (Background Photos): Getty Images

It’s been air-tight so far, and the narrative feels like it’s changed about a hundred times at this point between the three big men.

• Embiid - 29.9 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 48.9 FG%, 36.4 3FG%

• Antetokounmpo - 29.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 5.8 APG, 55.2 FG%, 28.3 3FG%

• Jokić- 26.3 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, 57.6 FG%, 34.5 3FG%

Like I said, air-tight. Jokic gets the slight edge in my opinion, though he’s also the worst defender out of the three, so we’re right back to square one.

Let’s start with Giannis, who is a weird way has kind of slipped under the radar this year, partly due to voter fatigue (He’s won the award twice already).

The Bucks have had a big of a strange year for their standards due to all the injuries, but they’re still just one game back of the first place in the East, and Giannis has been as unstoppable as ever. He’s developed a steady mid-range jumper, and his playmaking off the bounce is also improving every day.

His defensive presence is absolutely devastating near the rim, and he’s as unstoppable as anyone the NBA has ever seen going downhill.

Giannis might deserve this award more than most realize because of how sneakily banged up the Bucks have truly been; Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton have each missed 14 games and Brook Lopez has only been back for a few weeks.

If you’re going to go the ‘injury of teammates’ route though, both the other guy’s on this list can make serious cases that they have him beat in that department.

Joel Embiid has been playing the entire season (up to the deadline at least) without the help of any AllStar talent to speak of.

In a season that began in a Ben Simmons fog, Embiid was a bright light, helping the Sixers to the top of the conference. If you catch him on the right evening, there’s no one in the league more dominant, and to me, he has the highest ceiling of anyone on this list.

He also can take possessions off from time to time, and I’m nitpicking here, but when you’re being compared to two former MVPs, it’s all in the details.

Yes, last month he got some help by way of Philly acquiring James Harden, but he’s also had to learn how to play with a ball-dominant star on the fly, and he’s the most important defensive player to his team out of the three candidates.

Embiid is a monster, and the fact that Philly is in the mix for the #1 seed given the Simmons soap opera shows how dominant he can be.

What he lacks in playmaking he makes up for in brute force when compared to someone like Nikola Jokic.

Speaking of Jokic, he’s been the frontrunner for most of the season, at least as the media narrative goes. The argument is that he does the most with the least amount of help, and this is undoubtedly true.

In an era built on prima donna superstars, Jokic just quietly goes about his business taking everyone to school no matter who's on the court with him. Literally, I’m sure there have been nights where he doesn’t know the first names of half his starting lineup.

The Nuggets of course have been decimated with injuries, they’ve been without Jamal Murray for the entire season and Michael Porter Jr. for most of it, AKA the team’s second and third-best players.

It’s been the Joker, a bunch of roll players, Aaron Gordon trying his best, and the Bones Hyland show from time to time. That’s about all he has to work with.

His numbers are ridiculous, and he’s basically playing point guard as a 7 footer. He has the most refined and unique offensive game out of anyone in the league not named Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving or Steph Curry.

His defence, which used to be a weakness, is now above average. Better than above average actually.

The other thing about Jokic that sets him apart is that when you watch him play, he does things that are truly amazing on a basketball court and it’s not jumping high or running fast, it’s just the way he sees the game.

He’s a special player. Period.

So what exactly does the MVP award mean?

If it’s the player that’s the most essential to the team’s success then this award has to go to Nikola Jokic, without question.

Yes, his team is a #6 seed, but Denver is just are actually just a game back of Philly and two games back of Milwaukee.

It’s close, but I just don’t see how you can’t give him the award.

MVP prediction: Nikola Jokić