76ers' Joel Embiid Currently Dominates MVP Tracker Odds

Joel Embiid leads Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Basketball Reference's MVP odds.

With the NBA MVP race heating up early on during the season these days, it becomes a roller coaster that Philadelphia 76ers fans are all too familiar with, considering Joel Embiid has been affected by it for the previous three seasons.

Once again, Embiid is a prominent figure in the race for the league’s Most Valuable Player, and at this point in the season, he seems to be growing as an overwhelming favorite to many publications.

According to Basketball Reference’s current odds, Embiid is the favorite to take home the title for a second-straight season, and the odds are overwhelmingly in the Sixers big man’s favor right now.

What’s the Probability Percentage?

For a fourth straight season, Embiid’s biggest competitor in the MVP race is Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. After Embiid finally beat out Jokic for the award last season, the Sixers’ superstar is searching for his repeat.

Per Basketball Reference’s probability percentage, Embiid is currently placed first with a 51.5 percent chance of taking home the title of MVP once again.

Through 22 games this season, Embiid has helped lead the Sixers to an 18-7 record, which currently places them within the top three of the Eastern Conference.

It’s been another season of dominance in the scoring department, as Embiid has averaged 34 points per game, which leads the league. If Embiid can maintain his status as the NBA’s points-per-game leader, he’ll three-peat as the scoring champ.

At this point, Embiid’s dominant scoring is routine. What’s really been impressive is his consistent defensive dominance and his improved playmaking. Showing relentless effort on the glass, Embiid has averaged 12 rebounds per game. He’s also garnering one steal per outing and averaging two blocks.

As far as passing goes, Embiid has dished out six assists per game, which marks a new career-high.

Who Are the Top Competitors?

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has followed up his championship-winning season with an impressive run. Averaging 27 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists per game, Jokic remains a significant triple-threat in the NBA as the Nuggets rely on him to put together a repeat. Per Basketball Reference, Jokic’s current percentage stands at 20.3 percent.

Trailing Jokic is the former two-time MVP, Giannis Atentokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar finished as a finalist once again last season but remained in the third spot. Putting up 32 points per game, 11 rebounds, and five assists, Antetokounmpo is on the heels of Jokic and Embiid statically. However, his percentage remains low at the moment, at 8.5 percent.