Nikola Jokic won the 2021 NBA MVP after back-to-back MVP-winning seasons from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jokic was a standout in 2021 averaging 26.4 points 10.8 rebounds 8.3 and assists per game. A near triple-double per game on the season. The top candidates for 2022 are below:
Joel Embiid
Embiid leads the way for MVP right now as he had the Philadelphia 76ers as a top five team in the Eastern Conference before the James Harden trade. Since the trade, the team is even better, and Embiid’s production hasn’t dipped at all. On the year he is averaging 29.7 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He has also been great on defense with 1.4 blocks and 1 steal per game.
Nikola Jokic
After winning last year, he comes in at a close second right now. He has almost single-handedly gotten the Denver Nuggets to a secure playoff spot in the West. His numbers might be even better than last year as he is averaging three more rebounds per game at 13.8 per game and his scoring and assists have been about the same at 25.9 points and 8.1 assists per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis can’t be left out of this conversation for his third MVP. His numbers are just as good as his MVP seasons with 29.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game for a championship contender in the East.
Wildcards
DeMar DeRozan, Ja Morant, Lebron James, Jayson Tatum
Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nikola_Jokic_free_throw.jpg
