There have been some great centers in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Shaquille O'Neal are just a few of the legendary big men this league has seen. After claiming last season's MVP award, Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is looking to etch his name next to those who came before him. His recent historic stretch has him in great company and rising up the NBA MVP rankings.
Embiid and the 76ers find themselves 18-7 on the season and they have won six consecutive games. What Embiid has done over this stretch is the reason why he is once again the favorite to win the end of season MVP award.
During the Sixers' six-game win streak, Embiid has averaged 40.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 61.9 percent from the floor. What's even more impressive is that the reigning MVP has recorded at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in ten straight games, becoming just the third player in league history to achieve such a feat. The other two: Moses Malone with 11 games in 1982 and Shaq with 11 games in 2001, according to NBA history.
Recently passing Chamberlain for the most consecutive 30-point, 10-rebound games in team history, Embiid made it clear that his intentions are to win and dominate every single night with no focus put on breaking or setting records.
“I mean, obviously, he did a lot of great things with what he was able to accomplish,” Embiid said of passing Chamberlain's franchise record. “It's great to be in that class but I just want to dominate every single night. Whatever it takes, whether it’s scoring, passing. So, I was just fortunate to make a couple of shots and just gotta keep it going.”
The discussion in the NBA's MVP race to this point before 2024 has been focused on Nikola Jokic vs. Embiid. Jokic may be averaging close to a triple-double and have the defending champion Denver Nuggets in a spot to once again contend for the top-seed in the Western Conference, but there is no overlooking what Embiid has done to this point.
Anytime your name is being mentioned with Chamberlain, you are doing something right. Embiid has been on a roll lately and is now the new favorite in the latest NBA MVP rankings.
Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers
Previous Rankings: #2
2023-24 season stats: 22 games, 34.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 53.4 FG%, 33.8 3P%
Joel Embiid has played 746 minutes this season and has scored 752 total points. The only player in league history to record more points in a single season than he recorded minutes (min. 1,000 total points) was Wilt Chamberlain in 1961-62, according to Dan Roche of NBC Sports Philadelphia. That is just a remarkable statistic to wrap your head around, especially since Wilt averaged 48.5 minutes per game that season.
From a scoring perspective, there is no better player in the league right now than Embiid. The Sixers play through Embiid from anywhere on the floor offensively, he opens up space for everyone around him, and the strides the big man has made defensively under head coach Nick Nurse adds even more fuel to his MVP fire this season.
At this point, we are running out of adjectives to describe Embiid and his performances simply because 30-point, 10-rebound games are becoming normal for him. While other MVP candidates may be more durable than Embiid, he is without a doubt the best scorer in the NBA right now. It is going to be near impossible for anyone to stop the Sixers big man from claiming his third consecutive scoring title.
2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Previous Rankings: #1
2023-24 season stats: 26 games, 27.0 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 54.1 FG%, 30.9 3P%
Much like how the Sixers play exclusively through Embiid on offense, this is the case with the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. When he gets the ball, Jokic can really go anywhere and it's not hard to create an argument for him being the best passer in the NBA. Nearly averaging a triple-double on the season, Jokic recently became the first player to record at least 10 triple-doubles in seven consecutive seasons, according to ESPN.
The reason why Jokic fell in the NBA MVP rankings is partly due to Embiid's recent surge. The other reasoning is because Jokic has been slumping based on his standards. Since the start of December, Jokic is averaging just 22.6 points per game and he is shooting 46.5 percent from the floor. He's also recorded just four double-doubles in eight games, including three triple-doubles.
Yes, we are saying this in a sarcastic matter because how in the world is this a slump? Any other player in the league would kill to be putting up numbers like this! When it comes down to the MVP race between Embiid and Jokic, every game and every small detail matters because there is really no comparing the impact these two have for their respective teams. As of right now, Embiid just has a slight edge over Jokic due to his team's record and his recent stretch of games.
This race for MVP is far from over.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Previous Rankings: Not Ranked
2023-24 season stats: 19 games, 31.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 61.8 FG%, 23.3 3P%
Just this past week, Giannis Antetokounmpo managed to average 36.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 63.9 percent from the floor. The Milwaukee Bucks have won four consecutive games, six of their last seven games, and nine of their last 12 games. Giannis is constantly recording 30-point nights and recently put together a historic night that will forever live on in Bucks' lore.
With a career-high 64 points against the Indiana Pacers last week, Giannis set a new franchise-record for points in a game. When Antetokounmpo gets going down the lane and is looking to be aggressive, he is impossible to stop. The Pacers learned that the hard way, as they consistently fouled him and Giannis proved to be able to score from the charity stripe, shooting 24-for-32 on the game.
The Bucks are one of the hottest teams in the league right now and everything has been clicking for them. As Milwaukee continues to win games, Antetokounmpo's stock for MVP will continue to rise. We could run into a scenario where team record determines the difference between Joel and Giannis.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Previous Rankings: #3
2023-24 season stats: 23 games, 30.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 steals, 54.2 FG%, 32.4 3P%
Did anyone see the Oklahoma City Thunder being amongst the best teams in the league roughly 25 games into the 2023-24 season? One of the NBA's youngest teams has found a lot of success not only due to the abundance of talent on their roster, but because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gone from All-Star to superstar over the span of a couple months this offseason. What Shai has done for the Thunder this season is remarkable both from a scoring and defensive standpoint.
Gilgeous-Alexander currently ranks fourth in the league in scoring, fourth in total points scored, fourth in field goals made, and he is third behind Luka Doncic and Embiid for the league lead in 30-point games this season. On defense, Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the best on-ball defenders at the point guard position, as he currently leads the league at 2.7 steals per game.
In terms of leading by example and putting his team in a position to win every game they play, Shai is as good as anyone else in the league. Quite honestly, he may be the best player when it comes to his team needing a basket late in games.
5. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
Previous Rankings: Not Ranked
2023-24 season stats: 24 games, 32.7 points, 9.1 assists, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 48.8 FG%, 37.9 3P%
If anyone in the NBA is a one-man team, it is Luka Doncic. Kyrie Irving is on the Dallas Mavericks, but he always seems to be dealing with some type of ailment and has played in just 17 of the team's 25 games to this point. Doncic is the main reason why Dallas finds themselves 16-9 on the season and he continues to elevate his play to new heights.
Averaging career-highs in scoring, assists, three-point percentage, and minutes played, Luka is a true warrior on the court for the Mavs. Whereas most stars tend to struggle when their secondary help is not available, Doncic has thrived this season. Doncic has failed to record less than 30 points in 10 straight games and he's recorded three 40-point games in this span. Not to mention, Luka has six double-doubles over his last seven games, including three triple-doubles.
The Mavs are going to go as far as Doncic is able to take them and so far this season, he has Dallas 3.5 games back of the top spot in the Western Conference standings. Based on where he team is at versus where they would be without him, it's hard not to say that Doncic is one of the most valuable players in the league.
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