The Sixers earned the East’s top seed, and with it, a favorable path to the conference finals. While some may doubt Philadelphia’s ability to deliver, no one can doubt the success of Doc Rivers’ first regular season. It is abundantly clear the Sixers mean business.
Of course, much of the credit falls on the doorstep of Joel Embiid, who put together his most dominant season yet. He will likely get nominated to All-NBA and All-Defensive teams, while some will cast an MVP vote in his favor.
With the 2020-21 regular season at its close, here is our final 2021 MVP ladder.
NBA MVP candidate #5: Luka Doncic
The Mavericks were able to claim the No. 5 seed despite a largely underwhelming roster full of underachievers. The main reason — almost the only reason — for that success is Luka Doncic, who helped Dallas weather injuries and flat-out inadequacy all season.
With Kristaps Porzingis missing large swathes of time, the Josh Richardson trade looking particularly bad, and an uninspiring supporting cast, Doncic posted averages of 27.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.6 assists on .479/.350/.730 shooting splits. He carried the load for a team that did him no favors in carrying it.
Doncic, at just 22 years old, is already on the Mt. Rushmore of great modern playmakers. He can make every pass in the book and then some. At 6-foot-7, he has the size to peer over defenders and read the defense with the thoroughness of an Ivy League literature professor. He’s a gifted three-level scorer to boot, and a much-improved wing defender.
NBA MVP candidate #4: Giannis Antetokounmpo
The two-time reigning MVP deserves his recognition this season as well. While the Bucks are the No. 3 seed, rather than the No. 1 seed, Giannis is in no way responsible for the slight drop. Milwaukee spent much of this season experimenting and adjusting, but the one constant is Antetokounmpo’s prolific nature on both sides of the ball.
On defense, Giannis was one of three NBA players to tally over 70 steals and 70 blocks on the season. Offensively, Antetokounmpo has sanded some of the rough edges of his game while maintaining his unmatched physicality attacking downhill. For the season, he posted averages of 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks on .569/.303/.685 shooting splits.
Giannis does it all for Milwaukee. He is still a limited shooter, but it seldom matters. Keeping him out of the paint is often an impossible task. His playmaking chops and improved mid-range game compound the defense’s issues. He can bully his way to any spot on the floor, and with remarkable frequency, he is able to take advantage.
The MVP award does not and will not belong to Giannis this season. Even so, he is one of the best two-way forces on the planet — an undeniable top-five NBA player who can win games on both sides of the ball. The Bucks are as real a contender as any team in the NBA. It starts with Antetokounmpo.
NBA MVP candidate #3: Stephen Curry
This season should quiet any doubts about Stephen Curry’s place in the pantheon of all-time greats. He is one of the most deadly offensive weapons the NBA has ever seen. With or without the ball, Curry can make a defense implode. He demands such constant attention, and that attention has been ratcheted up tenfold this season in the absence of Klay Thompson.
Despite a somewhat ragtag group of poor shooters and unproven players, Curry has Golden State in the eighth seed with a record six games over .500 — a truly remarkable accomplishment for a team boasting Andrew Wiggins as the No. 2 scorer. The Warriors were legitimately good this season, and few — if any — players bear more responsibility for their team’s success than Curry. That is, by definition, most valuable.
If the Warriors weren’t so far down in the standings, Curry would have a real case to be top-two. Perhaps even the top. He posted season averages of 32.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals on .482/.421/.916 shooting splits. This was a top-shelf season from one of the 10 or so greatest players to ever touch a basketball. He cannot fall outside the top three.
Curry has blended volume and shooting efficiency in a way no other player, much less a ball-handling guard, could remotely fathom. He is doing things entirely unique to him, that have never been done and may never be done again. Curry deserves all the respect.
NBA MVP candidate #2: Joel Embiid
The Sixers earned the No. 1 seed in the East and have been anchored on both sides of the ball by Joel Embiid. This has been Embiid’s career-defining season — a leap from extremely talented All-Star to one of the best of the best in the NBA.
With season averages of 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 blocks on .513/.377/.859 shooting splits, Embiid proved to be the league’s most physically dominant scorer in 2021. Defenses had no answer in the post. Defenders who once stifled Embiid turned to traffic cones. Defenses who once had him solved turned hapless.
Embiid made improvements at every level. He became more efficient in the post, with quicker reads and fewer turnovers. He become a Kobe/Dirk-hybrid from mid-range incorporating several iconic moves into his repertoire. He also become a rock-solid 3-point shooter who spent most of the season at or over the 40 percent mark.
On top of his brilliance as a scorer and offensive hub, Embiid is still a truly great defender. While this was not his most iconic season on that end — in part because Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle have sucked up a lot of attention — there aren’t many players more impactful than Embiid when he’s locked in. The Sixers’ All-Star is nimble in space and a stone wall at the rim. He deserves a top-two finish, even after missing the games he missed.
NBA MVP candidate #1: Nikola Jokic
Run from it, dread it — destiny arrives all the same. This was Nikola Jokic‘s season to win MVP. It may only be the first of multiple MVP seasons. He is that good. He is that impactful. Jokic put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in recent memory, and he’s a much better defender than his detractors would have you believe. He is — with no shred of doubt in my mind — the NBA’s most valuable player of 2021.
The Nuggets were subject to a slew of injuries this season, but Jokic weathered the storm and appeared in every game. He posted season averages of 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals on .566/.388/.868 shooting splits. He finished top five in total points, rebounds, and assists. He operated as the Nuggets’ point guard, post presence, and go-to scorer. He is both an elite closer, as well as the ultimate unselfish superstar. More than any other player on this list, he makes teammates better. He sets them up for success.
Jokic is probably the most singularly gifted passer in the NBA and he’s a 7-footer. He lacks elite-level athleticism. He doesn’t jump much, nor can he do the things Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo can do in space. The simple fact, however, is he doesn’t need to. He can maneuver his way into shots at any level. Tough one-legged fadeaways, check. A dynamic and diverse post game, check. A silky-smooth outside stroke, check. Defenders can out-run Jokic, out-size him, out-length him — it matters not. He can find ways to score, or to help a teammate score.
Denver is the No. 3 seed in the West despite Jamal Murray’s season-ending injury. The Nuggets do not have the deepest supporting cast, nor the best collection of defensive players in the NBA. And yet, they are exceedingly solid on both sides of the ball, and Jokic impacts winning across the board. There is no other answer for No. 1 in the MVP race. The Joker is no joke.