Five Candidates For NBA’s Regular Season MVP
With the 2020/21 NBA regular season set to come to an end in a few days, the main question raised is who is going to be named this season’s Most Valuable Player.
After winning the prize two years in a row, Giannis Antetokounmpo is amongst the favourites again, but this time Nikola Jokic seems to be the frontrunner.
Former Real Madrid player Luka Doncic has been one of the favourites since the season kickstarted, while stars such as Joel Embiid and Kawhi Leonard have emerged amongst the frontrunners due to their displays in 2020/21.
Let’s take a look at the five main candidates for this year’s NBA MVP award.
Nikola Jokic
The Denver Nuggets centre averages 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and incredible 8.5 assists per game this season. He has led his franchise to the fourth position of the Western Conference and the Nuggets are considered to be among the favourites to win the league this season.
Joel Embiid
The Philadelphia 76ers centre has been fit for the largest part of the season, where he has registered an average of 29.2 points and 10.7 rebounds. His team currently top the Eastern Conference table and could clinch home-court advantage for the postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
No NBA players bar Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird have ever won the MVP award three consecutive years in a row. That’s what the Milwaukee Bucks star is in pursuit of in a season that the Greek Freak averages 28.2 points, 11.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists.
Kawhi Leonard
Despite having won two NBA Finals MVPs, the 29-year-old guard has never been named the regular season’s MVP. Having averaged 25.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season, Leonard has emerged as one of the favourites to win the accolade again and it remains to be seen whether he will manage to do so for the first time in his career.
Luka Doncic
At the start of the season, many expected the 22-year-old guard to be the frontrunner for this season’s prize, but it may just not be his time yet. Averaging an impressive 28.2 points, eight rebounds and 8.7 assists in 2020/21, Doncic has led the Dallas Mavericks to the fifth position of the Western Conference.
