Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid put together another virtuoso performance Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, one suggestive of his status as NBA MVP frontrunner early in the season.
Embiid poured in 34 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. He made 9-of-10 free throw attempts and pulled down 11 rebounds, also chipping in with two steals and a block. Embiid was +12 for the contest, impacting the game on both ends.
There have been exceptional performances in the NBA thus far. LeBron James is shooting a career-high percentage from beyond the arc. Kawhi Leonard's two-way brilliant has been as evident as ever, and Kevin Durant has wasted little time reminding basketball fans he is one of the best scorers in the history of the sport. Not to mention, Nikola Jokic continues to “wow” with his total skill set at the center position.
Still, it is Joel Embiid who stands above the rest in early MVP chatter.
All they do is win, win, win
We have to start with the most evident reason Joel Embiid is the early MVP frontrunner. When he's on the floor, the Sixers win.
Philly improved to 15-2 in games Embiid has played this season. They are 1-4 when he sits. The Sixers have an offensive rating of 120.5 when he is on the floor versus just 104.6 when he sits.
There is a similar trend on the defensive end, albeit not quite as drastic. Opponents have an offensive rating of 107.1 when Embiid plays, as compared to a 109.4 offensive rating when he is on the bench. Pretty evident how important the big man is to this team, no?
Embiid's own two-way brilliance is quite evident. He is averaging a career-high 28.6 points per game while also shooting a career-best mark from beyond the arc (42.3 percent) and at the free-throw line (84.3 percent). On the second point, Embiid is averaging 11.2 free throws per game. His 191 free throws attempted are third-most in the league.
The bevy of offense has resulted in a 31.4 player efficiency rating (PER), which ranks tops in the NBA. But Embiid has also been a defensive deterrent, ranking ninth in defensive win shares and 12th in defensive box plus-minus.
It is no wonder the Sixers are that much more dominant when Embiid holds down the middle. He has been a floor-spacing big who can score in the low post and get to the line at will, while also protecting the rim on the other end. His total impact has been vital in the Sixers getting out tot he best start in the Eastern Conference.
OK, but what about Jokic?
Let's talk about “The Joker,” because he has quite the strong case as well.
The Denver Nuggets star is averaging 26.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists while also shooting over 38 percent from beyond the arc through his first 20 games. Jokic ranks just behind Embiid in terms of PER, and he leads the NBA in both win shares (4.4) and value over replacement player (2.3).
Jokic's on-off splits are every bit as eye-popping as Embiid on the offensive end. The defensive numbers tell a different story, but might also be somewhat deceptive considering Jokic actually ranks higher than Embiid in defensive box plus-minus.
It could also be argued Joel Embiid has the better supporting cast, with Tobias Harris averaging 20.6 points, Seth Curry and Danny Green spacing the floor and Ben Simmons maximizing his playmaking capabilities while playing stifling defense.
Meanwhile, Jokic is the only 20-plus point scorer in Denver, and leads the Nuggets in scoring, rebounding and assists. This is not to say Jamal Murray is not a strong combo guard, or that the return of Michael Porter Jr. will not help matters. But the Sixers' offseason moves and Harris' immense leap seem to have also made all the difference for Embiid and Philly on the whole, while the Nuggets have sort of been stuck in the mud early.
But, about the supporting cast…
Yes, Embiid's teammates have played at a high level. But everything still goes through him.
The 26-year-old ranks fifth in usage rate, consistently getting touches and sucking defenses into the lane. Embiid takes up space and gives guys like Curry, Green and Harris more room to operate on the perimeter. Even when he does not score, Joel Embiid can help start Philly's ball movement. He is far and away the central figure, as if the on-off splits were not any indication.
Jokic has an excellent MVP resume. But Embiid's total brilliance and his impact as a winning player gives him the nod as MVP frontrunner.
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