Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is undoubtedly one of the best players in the league. As a 7-foot center, Embiid has done a phenomenal job of just throwing the Sixers on his back whenever the time calls for it in order to ensure his team comes out with a win.
The Sixers have dealt with a lot of adversity in the 2021-22 season. The Ben Simmons saga went on for so long and it just seemed like it was a dark cloud hanging over the franchise no matter what they did. On top of that, they dealt with a lot of injuries and COVID issues as well.
Still, the Sixers entered the All-Star break as the No. 3 seed before James Harden joined the team and that is a big reason why Embiid has a case to win the MVP award.
“I don’t think I have to make one,” said coach Doc Rivers. “I think Joel’s made one with his play. I hear about everyone else and guys, they all are deserving to be in it, and I don’t like to get in this whole debate thing because all of them are great, but we’ve definitely some distractions this year, to say the least probably more than most teams or any team and yet at the All-Star break, we are second seed I think, third seed in a very, very difficult conference.”
Rivers is right about the East being so tough. The top of the East is so bunched up with talented teams and Embiid made sure the Sixers stayed in the thick of it all despite the distractions. He is averaging 29.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on the season.
“I think just numbers-wise, he leads the league in scoring (he is second),” Rivers added. “Defensively, I think he takes a step above everybody in that group, but I keep going back to our record. No one had us where we were without Ben playing one game. No one had that and that was Joel. My ego would love to say coaching, but no, that was Joel. That was Joel putting on his back, putting the team and I think that’s forgotten all of a sudden now that we have James and our health.”
On top of that, Embiid has been available. The big fella is set to play in his 59th game on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers and he would have played in more if he didn’t miss nine games due to COVID in November. That also helps his case to win MVP.
“I’m just proud of him,” Rivers finished. “If he wins or not, I just think from one year to the following year, the changes that he has made in order for him to be a better player for our team to win. is amazing and, as a coach, you’re just very proud of him”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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