Amid Joel Embiid’s injury, reigning champion Nikola Jokic returns to MVP favoritism

Now that Joel Embiid is out of the MVP race for his season, and won’t be able to extend his reign for a second-consecutive accolade, the competition for this title just became more wide open for the other contestants.

On the driver’s seat right now is current NBA champion Nikola Jokic, but close by are Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo stepping on the Serbian’s ankles.

Despite the Sixers center having the best odds to win the award last week, as many experts also believe that he deserved the recognition halfway through regular season, he fell to injury and will endure surgery to repair the lateral meniscus on his left knee.

Nikola Jokic is now the betting favorite to win the 2024 NBA MVP 👀 pic.twitter.com/RECX2OKyRX

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 30, 2024

The league’s new rules establish that a player must compete in at least 65 games to be considered eligible for accolades at the end of the campaign, and the Philadelphia star had already missed many games because of other health issues.

One of the last to voice out their frustration was Draymond Green, who took his thoughts to his own podcast show and said that this 65-game threshold is forcing players to play while injured.

“Joel comes out there tonight and he forces it,” claimed the Warriors forward. “Now we’ve got one of our premier faces in this league, the MVP of our league, possibly hurt for an extended period of time because he’s forcing it.”

ESPN analyst Monica McNutt explained why a strong physical condition is an important element for awards. “Health is something that we just cannot take for granted,” she stated. “I was even at the point of like, ‘OK, well, if (Embiid) misses MVP, he’s already been able to accomplish that.’ You just want him healthy in the postseason. … I mean, our league is at its best when the stars are available and doing what they do best brightly on the biggest stages.”

Coaches around the NBA have always praised Jokic and believe he’s worthy of more awards throughout his career

The Serbian center has been dominating the league for quite some time now, as he’s already won the MVP award twice in the past. Many fans and experts around the NBA even believe he was worthy of earning the accolade again last season, as he led the Nuggets to their first-ever championship.

NBA coaches wouldn’t be surprised if he keeps earning more recognition, as some have explained in the past how they’ve never seen anything like him in the past.

“He’s the best passer I have ever seen in any position,” said Portland coach Chauncey Billups about the center who is posting 26.3 points per game this season. “He’s really unique. There’s just nothing like it. He brings the ball up the floor and he just does it all. He puts you in a lot of tough spots defensively.”

His own tactician, Michael Malone, is the first to say that no one should take the Serbian for granted, as he never ceases to amaze him. “Just his ability to be great for himself, but more importantly, his ability to make everyone around him better,” he said about the versatile center who has already recorded 15 triple-doubles this campaign. “That truly is the definition of greatness.”

“We have been spoiled, I’m sure,” Malone assured. “Some of us do find ourselves maybe taking it for granted. But just remind yourself that there are not many guys like Nikola Jokic that walk through those doors and appreciate every opportunity that you have to watch him play.”