Top 5 NBA MVP candidates halfway through the season
5. Joel Embiid
It’s hard to have a guy at No. 5 on this list who nearly averages a double-double at 33.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, and is the NBA’s second-leading scorer, but it speaks to the elite talent the league has seen this year. In November, Embiid put together a career-high 59-point performance, one of two times he has scored over 50 points this year, and one of six times he has scored more than 40. A double-double machine with 17 on the year, Embiid continues to display a strong ability to go inside, but also a pure stroke from the outside while taking advantage of getting to the free-throw line nearly 12 times per game. Perhaps the only thing holding the dominant 7-foot center back from being higher on this list is the overall play of the Sixers, and the fact that he has another superstar in James Harden that limits his opportunities a little more than some in the MVP conversation. However, after a 12-12 start, Philadelphia has won 11 of its last 13 games thanks to Embiid, who was the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month in December for the fifth time in his career as he averaged over 35 points and shot over 41% from deep. It might still take a lot to jump some of the names in front of him in the MVP race, but the fact that Embiid has the potential to play even better in the second half is a scary thought for the rest of the league.
Highlights from JOEL EMBIID’s career-high 59 POINTS!
4th Quarter
Embiid: 26 points
Rest of 76ers: 1 point
Jazz: 20 points pic.twitter.com/Fl8AM047cW— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 14, 2022
