Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid is on his way to another MVP season in 2023-24. Through 25 games, the big fella is averaging 35 points, 11.7 rebounds and 6 assists, which are all better numbers than those in his MVP season of 2022-23.
Under the guidance of coach Nick Nurse, the big fella has become a better playmaker and he has taken steps in his ability to survey the floor. He does things on the floor a lot of 7-footers just shouldn’t do in terms of his elite scoring ability.
With it being the Christmas holiday, it is a good time to look at the MVP race. ESPN has given Embiid the best odds to repeat:
Embiid has taken the lead in the MVP race by dint of a historic run of 13 straight games (and counting) of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. This is the longest such streak in the NBA since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it over 16 straight games during the 1971-72 season.
According to basketball-reference, when Embiid is on the court this season, the 76ers are outscoring their opponents by 12.9 points per 100 possessions (PP100), the best mark of his career. Each of the previous two players to win MVP (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic) went on to win a second one the following season. Right now, Embiid is on pace to follow in their footsteps.
Embiid is dealing with an ankle sprain, but whenever the big fella does return, he appears to be playing at such a high level that he will take home another MVP trophy to add to his showcase.
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