The modern NBA has become more and more of a perimeter-oriented league. Yet, two elite big men have established themselves as MVP frontrunners early in the 2020-21 season.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were named Conference Players of the Month in December and January.

Both Embiid and Jokic have strong MVP resumes with over a quarter of the season in the books.

Embiid's Sixers have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Philly has raced out to a 15-6 start and currently boasts a 2.5-game advantage over the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets.

The Sixers have been practically unbeatable when Embiid is on the floor. Philly is 14-2 when Embiid plays, overwhelming opponents with an uptempo system and suffocating defense. Embiid himself has been tremendous on both ends, averaging 28.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals. He is also shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc and ranks first in the NBA in Win Shares per 48 minutes.

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Jokic, meanwhile, continues to dazzle with his unique talents. The Serbian big man is averaging 26.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists while shooting over 38 percent from beyond the arc. Jokic leads the league in PER (31.4), BPM (10.6), Win Shares (4.4) and VORP (4.4). He has been a juggernaut for a Nuggets team struggling to gather momentum, even scoring a career-high 47 points in a win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

There have been other special performances. Kevin Durant is back to being one of the most talented scorers in league history. Stephen Curry is once again dazzling with his shooting displays. Kawhi Leonard has exhibited his usual two-way brilliance, and LeBron James is shooting a career-high 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic have underwhelmed a bit, but they're still putting up huge numbers.

Still, Jokic and Embiid stood above the rest as Players of the Month, and they likely lead in the MVP race as well.