Stephen A. Smith Declares Nikola Jokic Is No Longer The Frontrunner For MVP

Stephen A. says Joel Embiid deserves MVP over Jokic.

Credit: David Richard/USA Today Sports

For most of the current NBA season, Nikola Jokic has been considered the leading candidate for MVP, which would make him a three-time winner.

While Jokic's case is still pretty strong today, a recent string of bad games from the Nuggets has caused some to re-think where the Denver big man stacks up in the conversation.

“I know Vegas is saying something different, but I don’t want to hear anything about Jokic being a front-runner for the MVP right now the way [the Nuggets] has tailed off,” ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said on First Take. “Joel Embiid has got to be right up there, if not number one.”

Stephen A.'s word is hardly the law when it comes to NBA award voting, but his opinion might indicate that the Joker's MVP campaign is not what it used to be.

Statistically, Jokic's numbers are better than ever, but the criteria for winning three-straight awards is historically high. So, even with averages of 24.7 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game on 62% shooting, it's going to be hard for Jokic to win unless his team dominates for the rest of the season.

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Can Joel Embiid Win The MVP?

For the past two seasons, Joel Embiid has been the runner-up in the MVP race, but could this finally be the season he wins it? Besides a career-high 33.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.6. blocks per game, Embiid has led the 76ers to the third-best record in basketball that includes a statement win over Jokic and the Nuggets.

As for Embiid himself, he'd rather ignore the MVP conversation altogether because winning is really all he's worried about right now anyway.

"I don't know, that's not for me to answer," Embiid said. "I feel like, obviously, being in the run for the last two years has been whatever. This year, I've taken a different approach, just trying to focus on the right things. Win games. Dominate, which I've been doing. And whatever happens, happens." 

This season has been crazier than ever for the NBA, and the MVP race is a perfect reflection of that. With Jokic, Embiid, and Giannis Antetokoumpo all expected to get some votes in the end, it's going to be interesting to see who ends up with the nod and which of them is able to back it up with a dominant postseason performance.

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