NBA
NBA 2023 MVP race: Who are the favorites? Embiid, Jokic, Giannis...
While the NBA regular season is coming to an end, there have been some changes in the MVP race. Who’s the main favorite now?
One of the most exciting things about the end of the regular season is to know which teams will automatically progress to the playoffs and which ones will feature in the Play-In tournament.
But there’s another attraction when it comes to making a recap of the regular season: who has been the best player of the league for 82 games.
And in this regard, the MVP odds have seen a change when it comes to tipping the favorite player to win the award.
The two-time defending NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was the favorite to win a third straight trophy, taking into consideration how decisive he is for the Denver Nuggets, but he has been overtaken by another center.
Joel Embiid, the favorite to win the MVP
Joel Embiid has overtaken Nikola Jokic after the Philadelphia 76ers have won nine of their last 10 games. The 76ers have moved into the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Nuggets have only won three of their last eight.
Before the two games against the Chicago Bulls, Embiid had been looking unstoppable, averaging 33.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks.
With a few games left before the end of the regular season, the 76ers could have real chances of grabbing the No. 1 spot in the East if they manage to win most of their games.
In that case, it seems Embiid would be named MVP, but if his team doesn’t do well in the remaining games, he may see his chances of winning disappear.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the other candidate to get the award, as the Bucks are leading the Conference, and will probably want to give his best now that there are less than 10 games left before the end of the regular season.