The MVP race this season has gone right down to the wire, and it would be difficult to predict who ends up getting the award. At one point it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic would take home the award but Giannis Antetokounmpo has made his case with a strong end to the season as well. And another name has been added to the mix, with Devin Booker getting some shouts thanks to the elite record the Phoenix Suns currently hold.
Booker has been the best scorer on the Phoenix Suns, who have been the best team in the NBA during the regular season. The Suns have dominated just about everybody and a stretch of wins without Chris Paul in the line-up has highlighted the job Booker has been doing. He has the media support now too, with Stephen A. Smith, one of the most popular NBA analysts, backing him for the award.
Stephen A. Smith picks Devin Booker to win MVP 👀 pic.twitter.com/0SkB88DMTD
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 3, 2022
Now, Stephen A. Smith’s vote isn’t exactly definitive, as Booker isn’t the first candidate he has emphatically backed this season. During the time that DeRozan was on his hot streak, Smith backed DeMar to bag the award. And after Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets got the better of Joel Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers, SAS said that the Joker was the MVP of the league after getting the better of The Process.
Booker falls short when counting the raw statistics, considering just how elite the other candidates have been, but considering that he is the best player on the NBA’s best team, the fact that he has a case is hard to deny. He has averaged 26.6 points per game so far, adding 5 rebounds and almost 5 assists a game. It’s unlikely that Booker will get the nod for the award but at this point, it’s almost impossible to definitively say who will.
