NBA: Five Players To Look At In The 2021-22 MVP Award Conversation

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Prior to every season, NBA analysts and “Vegas” release their odds and predictions of what team is most likely to win the Championship, along with division champions and individual awards. When it comes to individual NBA awards, there is no award that is more important than the MVP award. The 2020-2021 saw center Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets win the award, the first center to win the award since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. Before Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo won back-to-back awards. With the game ever always evolving, it’s impossible to guarantee the winner of the award, but the following five players are the players most likely to be in the MVP conversation at the end of the 2021-22 season. One thing is for sure, we will be all over it no matter where and how you are watching it.

Joel Embiid

The runner-up in the 2020-21 MVP race, Joel Embiid was called the MVP by many at times throughout the season. Playing only 51 of the 72 possible regular-season games, Embiid averaged. 28.5 points per game (a career-high), 10.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Embiid’s overall performance led the Philadelphia 76ers to the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Heading into the 2021-22 season, there are a few things that boost and damage Embiid’s chance at winning MVP. Embiid’s health will be the number one question of whether he could win MVP or not. Embiid has not played a full season during his first five seasons in the league. If Embiid had played 60+ games this past season, Embiid would’ve been more likely to win the award over Jokic. In addition, the absence of Ben Simmons will be a positive for Embiid. With Simmons most likely being on another team by the start of the season, there will be no 1a. on the team. With Simmons playing a pivotal part in the Sixers’ elimination by the Atlanta Hawks, it is likely Embiid will go all out this season to make a statement to the league, saying he can make it further without Simmons than with him.

Stephen Curry

While Jokic and Embiid finished first and second in the MVP race, Stephen Curry finished third. The two-time NBA MVP saw himself in a more than challenging position last season, playing on a team that was missing superstar Klay Thompson all season. This past season, Curry had splits of 32.0 PPG (a career-high), 5.5 RPG, and 5.8 APG. Over the course of the season, the Warriors guard had 40 30+ point games, out of the possible 63 games he played this season. Like Embiid, Curry missed several games due to an injury. A pivotal part of Steph not winning the MVP was the rest of the team. While Steph dominated over the course of the season, the Warriors struggled to find a definitive second option with Klay Thompson gone. Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre both had times of inconsistency during the season, increasing the scoring responsibility Steph had. With Klay returning at some point and Draymond looking refreshed, it is almost guaranteed that Steph will have an impact like last season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Already a back-to-back MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo added an NBA championship and Finals MVP to his list of accolades. Last season, the Greek Freak looked like an MVP, but the competition prevented him from winning his third MVP in a row. Antetokounmpo finished with splits of 28.1 PPG, 11.0 APG, and 5.9 APG. Like Curry and Embiid, Giannis missed a handful of games over the course of the season. If Giannis had missed more than 11 games over the course of the season, it is likely that the Milwaukee Bucks may not have finished the overall season how they did. With nearly the entire Bucks’ championship roster returning, the organization is looking to run it back. With the uncertainty of another top team in the East, it’s likely the Bucks could finish as one of the top two seeds in the East, boosting Giannis’ MVP odds. One major problem Giannis could see while chasing the award is strong competition in the East, specifically the player who almost took out the Bucks in the second round.

Kevin Durant

One shot in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals could’ve changed everything. A few inches could’ve seen Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets reach the NBA Finals over Giannis and the Bucks. Durant finished the season with splits of 26.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 5.6 APG. Durant did this in only 35 games. The former NBA MVP missed the other 37 games over the season due to a thigh contusion, hamstring injury, and health and healthy safety protocols affecting the team. In the early stages of last season, it was hard to argue against Kevin Durant winning the MVP award. Star teammates Kyrie Irving and James Harden both missed significant time throughout the season and playoffs, leaving the scoring to Durant at times. Looking at the offseason, Durant led the 2020 USA Basketball team to another gold medal, with his leadership unquestioned. Now heading towards the 2021-22 season, the Nets are expected to be healthy. With a healthy Durant, Irving, and Harden, there is no doubt that the Nets will be one of the toughest teams in the league, with the team likely finishing as one of the top two seeds in the East. Unlike Curry, Embiid, and Antetokounmpo, Durant faces a unique problem, competition from his own teammates. Harden has already won an MVP award and Irving has all the potential to win as well. It is likely that if all three players are healthy and play a near full season, they will likely take votes away from one another come awards time.

Luka Doncic

The 2021-22 season will be Luka’s fourth season in the NBA and it’s only a matter of time for him to win the MVP award. Since coming into the league, Doncic has only increased the reputation he had playing professionally overseas. In his three seasons in the league so far, Luka has played over 60 games each season while averaging over 21.0 PPG. This past season, he finished with splits of 27.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 8.6APG. Looking back at the playoffs Luka led his team to a seven-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers. It could be argued that if he had more help, the Mavericks could’ve taken out the Clippers. Like the previous players listed, there are a few things that will play a role in Luka winning or not winning the award. The biggest what if for the Mavericks will be the team’s record. Last season, the Mavericks finished fifth overall in the Western Conference. While it’s entirely possible that Luka could win the award on a lower-seeded team, the majority of winners have come from higher-seeded teams. Another factor could be Kristaps Porzingis. While he is still with the team now, it is possible that he could be traded at any point prior to the deadline. That could benefit Luka but possibly have a negative effect on him if the team was to get a player that could take votes away from him. No matter what happens, fans can expect Luka to be a pivotal part of the yearly MVP conversation for the next decade-plus.

Why Not Jokic?

When it comes to the MVP award, the previous year’s winner usually tends to be in the conversation to repeat for a fair amount of the season. In the last decade, three players have won the award back-to-back years, two of those players being on this list. While those seasons saw improvements for the player and team overall, it is likely we will see the opposite for 2020-21 MVP Nikola Jokic. Jokic had a strong season overall, finishing with splits of 26.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 8.3 APG. There are several things different between last season and this upcoming season. The 2021-22 season will be a full 82 games compared to last season’s 72. The Denver Nuggets will also be missing their star point guard in Jamal Murray, who played the majority of last season. With Murray gone for the majority of next season, it is likely the scoring load will be all on Jokic, something that hindered his performance in the Western Conference Semifinals. Another problem Jokic will face is the competition of the Western Conference. With multiple teams improving in the offseason, it may be challenging for the Nuggets to be one of the West’s top teams like they were last season. While it’s entirely possible that Jokic could repeat, there will be many obstacles in his way.