Stiles Points: Games Played Minimum Does Not Change the Legitimacy of Award

The MVP race is going to be a hot-button topic for the remainder of the season, as 76ers star Joel Embiid will be knocked out of the running due to missing too many games. However, that does not change the legitimacy of the award.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been powered to a 34-15 record by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has taken yet another leap after last season's jump. 

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, a league-high 2.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. The max contract guard is shooting 54 percent from the floor, 35 percent from 3-point land, and 89 percent at the charity stripe. 

This has placed him in the thick of the NBA MVP conversation, which has gotten dicey lately. With the NBA's new game-played requirement to qualify for awards, some contenders are already dropping out of the race. 

Joel Embiid has played just 34 games this season, 14 less than Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, who round out what was viewed as a three-player race until the recent string of injuries. 

Embiid missed a few games late last week with knee soreness, which threatened his MVP qualifications. The 76ers superstar then returned to the lineup on National TV only to suffer a concerning knee injury that is being described as a displaced flap in his menaces. 

While the NBA world still awaits an official ruling on Embiid's regular season status, they have taken up their pitchforks to cause a stir in the virtual streets. Why would you make players rush back from injury in an attempt to qualify for awards and put themselves at risk of re-injury? 

That passes the smell test on the surface, and in an era where people are searching for reasons to be outraged, this is a good enough topic. 

Though, it makes little sense. Let's say Embiid sat out all these games a season ago to ensure his health and put the team's postseason success at the front of his mind. He would still not win the MVP award, and the lack of games played would be the most significant ingredient baked into the argument.  

Sure, the rules changed, but the perception didn't. With or without a rule, the voters would prioritize games played and record in a race as tight as this season has been. 

Whoever wins the MVP this season will be no more fortunate than previous winners who saw a razor-thin edge split by durability. 

Stiles Points: 

• On Saturday, Kenrich Williams saw his TCU jersey hung in the rafters in front of an energetic Horned Frogs crowd. Williams saw his face all over the arena in the form of shirts and countless stories explaining his impact, and he got to share the day with his family. For someone who pours so much into others, it had to be cool to take a day and be poured into. 
• Converse announced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is revitalizing their Converse weapon, a historic shoe in the basketball world that every great player in the 80s wore, highlighted by Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. This shoe will be available for purchase on Feb. 8th.   
• Tre Mann announced he welcomed his first child on Saturday, as the two share a birthday. Mann is questionable for Sunday's game against the Raptors. 
• What if the NBA changed the All-Star coaching format to be the worst record in each conference? This would be a confidence booster or litmus test to see if that bench boss had what it takes when given All-Star tools. While that is farfetched, the NBA will be able to announce the All-Star coaches after today's games. 
• Jaylin Williams has recently provided a huge boost off the bench. He has improved his rim presence, his high-post creation helps flow the offense, and he is still shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc. According to Synergy, Williams ranks in the 76th percentile on all possessions. In the last 12 games, Williams is shooting 38 percent from the 3-point line. 

Song of the Day: Ripple by the Grateful Dead.

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