The Philadelphia 76ers found one generational talent in Joel Embiid.
Embiid struggled with multiple injuries early in his career, and he hasn’t been able to shake off that narrative and woes ever since.
That, combined with the fact that he’s coexisting with an even more impressive force in Nikola Jokic, have made some fans kind of take him for granted.
Embiid has been a top 3 candidate to win MVP way too often, yet Jokic has beaten him in the past two years and is en route to doing that again this season.
However, that would be a mistake, according to Kendrick Perkins.
The former NBA player recently made a case for Embiid actually being the MVP, based mostly on the fact that he actually outplayed Jokic when the Denver Nuggets faced the Sixers.
"I don't see how anyone CAN'T have [Joel Embiid] as the front-runner as far as the MVP."
👀 @KendrickPerkins pic.twitter.com/IPvIdvelsG
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 24, 2023
That’s a rather simplistic logic and doesn’t wipe away the fact that Jokic is having a historic season, as he’s on the verge of becoming the first center to average a triple-double for a full year.
More than that, Jokic tops Embiid in nearly every regular and advanced metric this season, and he’s no longer the defensive liability he used to be.
Of course, Embiid’s averages of 33.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 three-pointers, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game on 53% from the floor are remarkable, and they would be MVP-worthy almost every year.
But there’s a reason why Jokic is running away with this award for the third straight year, even if he couldn’t beat Embiid in their last matchup.
NEXT: Joel Embiid Created A Special Poster Of His Own
