Sixers: Joel Embiid has entered the MVP race
Sixers: What does Joel Embiid’s MVP case look like?
Joel Embiid’s recent 10-game stretch does not completely erase his early-season struggles, but one has to remember — even subpar Embiid is a top 10 NBA player on most nights. He was by no means bad to begin the season, and now his ascent has aligned with Philadelphia’s sudden surge in the standings.
The Sixers are a top-5 seed despite one max contract player struggling (Tobias Harris) and one max contract player just not playing (Ben Simmons). The Sixers have been hit as hard as any team when it comes to COVID, and the absence of Philadelphia’s other All-Star has been felt up and down the roster.
Leave it to Embiid, of course, to pick up the slack. How many stars are so singularly important to their team’s success? Most of the MVP frontrunners (Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo) have multiple All-Stars littering the roster. Embiid has been flying solo for much of the season. No MVP candidate outside of Nikola Jokic has had less help than the Sixers’ 7-footer.
Embiid also does it on both ends. He is the central figure in Philadelphia’s offense, even bringing the ball up court on some possessions. His growth as a passer has been on full display of late, and the feather-soft touch on his jumper has returned after a brief hiatus. He is dominating defenses at every level, and the elevated performance of certain teammates — Seth Curry, Danny Green, Furkan Korkmaz — can be directly tied to Embiid’s elevated dominance.
Add to that his defense, and Embiid’s case is hard to ignore. You would be hard pressed to name five players more deserving of Defensive Player of the Year consideration. Embiid is the backbone of Philadelphia’s defense, with bigger holes in the perimeter defense than ever before due to Ben Simmons’ absence. A lot has been made of Matisse Thybulle’s flashy numbers, but Embiid is without a doubt the most important defender on the roster.
The Sixers have been blessed with stronger depth this season, and Tyrese Maxey’s emergence has no doubt softened the blow of Simmons’ holdout. But the Sixers are operating with one star instead of 2-3 right now while COVID tears holes in rosters around the league. Being the No. 5 seed doesn’t necessarily indicate contender, but the Sixers are clearly moving in the right direction because of Embiid.