The 2021-22 NBA season is past its halfway point and by now, fans are already aware of how the teams and individual players are playing. At this point in the season, the favorites to win individual awards are usually already decided in the minds of many fans and sports pundits alike.
The same is the case with this season as there are definitely a few players who have been playing incredible basketball. For example, Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid is having a sensational season.
In the absence of his partner in crime, Ben Simmons, Embiid has shouldered the responsibilities of carrying the team on his back. He has helped the 76ers to establish a record of 31-20 in the Eastern Conference.
This record is enough for the 76er to hold the third seed in the conference. Apart from Embiid, one might talk about Ja Morant’s breakout season and he is certainly in the conversation of the MVP race.
Although Morant is still young, he has certainly done well to help the Memphis Grizzlies to a record of 36-18 in the Western Conference.
There are several other players that are contenders to win MVP honors too, but if we talk about the top-5 players, one cannot exclude the above-mentioned two players from it.
Renowned NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith agrees with the same as he recently unveiled his picks for the top-5 players who deserve to win the MVP award. His list had Joel Embiid at the top and understandably so.
.@stephenasmith lays down his list of the Top 5 NBA MVP Candidates 👀
1. Joel Embiid
2. Ja Morant
3. Chris Paul
4. Nikola Jokic
5. Devin Booker pic.twitter.com/gPZXVoO6g9
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 3, 2022
Following Joel Embiid, Smith has ranked the players as follows: Ja Morant, Chris Paul, Nikola Jokic, and Devin Booker.
Looking at the list, there are several fans who won’t agree to it. But keeping the recent games in mind and the rest of the season as well, the list is not that bad either. Initially, the MVP race was expected to come down between Nets’ Kevin Durant and Warriors’ Steph Curry.
Unfortunately, Durant has been sidelined due to an injury and Curry has seen a decline in his form over the last few weeks. This led to many changing their opinions about the two superstars’ cases to be named the MVP.
