Sixers Star Joel Embiid Maintains Top Spot on Weekly MVP Ladder
Last week, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid climbed to the top of NBA.com’s MVP ladder, surpassing Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
After another week’s worth of action, Embiid will continue to hold his spot as he maintains the No. 1 slot, just in front of Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Embiid’s presence in the top spot shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, he’s been dominating even while getting a handful of early nights off as the Sixers have been rolling over the competition.
What They’re Saying…
“The reigning Kia MVP dropped a 41-point double-double (his eighth straight) Wednesday night in logging his ninth consecutive game with 30 points or more. Embiid scored 19 of those 41 points in the opening frame and didn’t even play in the fourth quarter.
In fact, Embiid hasn’t played in the fourth quarter in four games this season. Expect much of the same Friday with a home matchup on deck against the struggling Pistons.”
You can make the argument that the Sixers haven’t had the toughest schedule over the past week. Facing the Washington Wizards twice, along with the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons, the competition hasn’t necessarily been tough.
However, Embiid doesn’t make the schedule. They played who they played, and the Sixers center shouldn’t be discredited for taking care of business against lesser competition.
Coming off a two-game absence due to an illness, Embiid returned with a bang last week. Versus the Wizards, Embiid clocked in for 38 minutes and notched a season-high 50 points over Washington. He followed up that matchup with a 38-point outing in an 11-point win against Atlanta.
When the Wizards paid a visit to Philly for a rematch with the Sixers, Embiid’s short shift of 29 minutes was a productive one, as he scored 34 points on 70 percent shooting. When the Sixers paid a quick visit to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Embiid’s night ended after the third quarter. When he left the court, he had a 41-point double-double.
Through 20 games, Embiid leads the NBA in points per game for the third straight season. Not only has his scoring remained dominant, but his passing has improved greatly, and his defense remains elite in the paint. As a result, Embiid is surely putting together another solid MVP campaign.
