It was announced on Monday morning that Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets beat out the competition – including Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers – to win his second NBA MVP trophy.
A huge honor, this back-to-back win for Jokic proves that he really is one of the most important big men in the league and one of the most impressive players to ever grace the court.
But the choice wasn’t entirely easy for all.
Eye Test = Joel Embiid for MVP!!!
Analytics = Jokic for MVP!!!
I’m glad I rolled with the EYE TEST on my vote.
Carry the hell on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 9, 2022
Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins hopped on Twitter to share his sentiment about the MVP race.
“Eye Test = Joel Embiid for MVP!!!,” Perkins said.
He followed that up with, “Analytics = Jokic for MVP!!!”
Finally, he revealed how he voted: “I’m glad I roll with the EYE TEST on my vote.”
Perkins’ choice might not have secured the trophy but that doesn’t mean Embiid should be disappointed in the season he had.
Eye Test Vs Analytics
Perkins makes a point that many others have touched upon.
To some, Embiid is more impressive to watch.
The way he performs on the court is more “highlight-worthy”, full of explosive dunks and big blocks and SportsCenter-ready moments.
Jokic, meanwhile, shows his power in the statistics and numbers below the surface.
Both players are incredible in their own right but they are certainly different in some huge ways.
This year’s MVP race became a choice between someone who was flashier on the court or more powerful with analytics.
In the end, it was Jokic and his analytics-driven domination that sealed the deal.
Despite coming up short, Embiid should be very happy with how his season went.
He stepped it up in nearly every way and became the team leader that Philadelphia has needed for some time.
Plus, Jokic may have won MVP but Embiid’s team got much further in the playoffs.
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