Is this SGA MVP going to be viewed in the same light as Embiid MVP?

uncleduck13 · Post #1 » by **uncleduck13** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:21 pm

Is this going to be viewed as a “your turn” MVP? An award given to a guy (like Joel) who played at an MVP level for a couple years prior to winning. At some point, voter fatigue begins to play a factor and media starts to feel pressure to award guys who are always on the cusp. This feels like one of those years. Obviously SGA is having an amazing season…but it’s clear as day who the actual BEST / MOST VALUABLE player is. That’s Nikola Jokic.

This guy should be on the way to a 5th straight MVP.

Homer38 · Post #2 » by **Homer38** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:24 pm

No, in the sense that SGA never said anything negative to Jokic and never whined to the media like Embiid did.

UglyBugBall · Post #3 » by **UglyBugBall** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:24 pm

SGA far and away the number 1 seed. Jokic is the third seed and struggling to beat playoff teams. Value should mean your value to winning, and as much as I'm not an SGA fan, if you're putting up 30 on the best team in the league you're more valuable than anyone else. If MJ was in the league today you'd be one of those guys crying about him winning MVP cuz Jokic put up 30/10/10.

Post #4 » by **tsherkin** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:25 pm

I mean, SGA is very clearly an MVP-caliber player. If he wins over Jokic, it won't be some tragedy or farce.

7seventynine9 · Post #5 » by **7seventynine9** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:25 pm

Only if OKC gets bounced in the first 2 rounds and/or Denver goes further than they do.

Optms · Post #6 » by **Optms** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:27 pm

It's only viewed that way because Embiid is a flopping outspoken individual. People getting in their feelings. That and Jokic stans.

He was the rightful MVP. Call him soft, drama queen, flopper, loser, etc. But he earned that MVP. People also forget he was the runway MVP before injuries last season. So it was not a fluke.

Raps in 4 · Post #7 » by **Raps in 4** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:27 pm

SGA is leading his team to the top record in the West (one game back of the top record in the NBA) while leading the league in most impact metrics.

All that remains to be seen is if he can advance in the playoffs, something Embiid could never do. If Embiid was a prolific playoff performer, nobody would have taken issue with his MVP.

Marvin Martian · Post #8 » by **Marvin Martian** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:28 pm

It's not clear as day because defense matters. It's clear that the entire team took a step back defensively this year which is why they struggled so much against good teams.

Post #9 » by **tsherkin** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:28 pm

Optms wrote:It's only viewed that way because Embiid is a flopping outspoken individual. People getting in their feelings. That and Jokic stans.

He was the rightful MVP. Call him soft, drama queen, flopper, loser, etc. But he earned that MVP.

A season where he led the league in no categories except PPG, while Jokic rocked the metrics he did is a bit of an embarrassment, and a conceit to PPG fetishism, to be honest.

QPR · Post #10 » by **QPR** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:29 pm

I wouldn't have thought so. They're going to win 65+ and his advanced/impact stats are mostly on par with Jokic. I don't think he's in the same tier (no one is) but he's clearly going to be a worthy MVP.

I think it more speaks to how special SGA's season has been that this Jokic season may not win MVP.

Optms · Post #11 » by **Optms** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:29 pm

Raps in 4 wrote:SGA is leading his team to the top record in the West while leading the league in most impact metrics.

All that remains to be seen is if he can advance in the playoffs, something Embiid could never do. If Embiid was a prolific playoff performer, nobody would have taken issue with his MVP.

Playoff success has no bearing on MVP.

Raps in 4 · Post #12 » by **Raps in 4** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:29 pm

Optms wrote:
Raps in 4 wrote:SGA is leading his team to the top record in the West while leading the league in most impact metrics.

All that remains to be seen is if he can advance in the playoffs, something Embiid could never do. If Embiid was a prolific playoff performer, nobody would have taken issue with his MVP.

Playoff success has no bearing on MVP.

It has bearing on the discourse.

QPR · Post #13 » by **QPR** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:30 pm

Marvin Martian wrote:It's not clear as day because defense matters. It's clear that the entire team took a step back defensively this year which is why they struggled so much against good teams.

I hate this argument because Jokic's impact on offense is so enormous, and OKC would clearly still be an elite defensive team without SGA.

adubmac · Post #14 » by **adubmac** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:31 pm

Not unless SGA and Perk start race guilting the voters.

Raps in 4 · Post #15 » by **Raps in 4** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:32 pm

QPR wrote:
Marvin Martian wrote:It's not clear as day because defense matters. It's clear that the entire team took a step back defensively this year which is why they struggled so much against good teams.

I hate this argument because Jokic's impact on offense is so enormous, and OKC would clearly still be an elite defensive team without SGA.

If two players have the same impact, but one player does it entirely with his offensive play and the other does it with a mix of great offence and defence, those two players still have the same impact. This notion that a player who plays elite defence is somehow more valuable than a generational offensive player (like Jokic, Steph, Luka) is absurd. There are multiple ways a player can impact a basketball game.

DaPessimist · Post #16 » by **DaPessimist** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:32 pm

MVP is not a "best-player" award.

It's a "one of the best players who is having one of the best regular seasons combined with a good media narrative" award.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

Raps in 4 · Post #17 » by **Raps in 4** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:35 pm

DaPessimist wrote:MVP is not a "best-player" award.

It's a "one of the best players who is having one of the best regular seasons combined with a good media narrative" award.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

The media must hate the MVP race this year.

Fat Euro with a robotic personality playing in some mountain town most people have never heard of vs. Canadian with a robotic personality playing in some random farming community in the middle of nowhere.

This is why it was so important to get Luka to LA.

Godymas · Post #18 » by **Godymas** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:36 pm

No, SGA is having the best guard season since 2015-2016 Stephen Curry and his team is historically dominant.

Prince187 · Post #19 » by **Prince187** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:38 pm

They’re trying to insult our intelligence by making it seem like the MVP award has always been like the Heisman award for most of college football. Best player on the best team herp derp sorry Jokic stans. When we know that’s not how it works. A guy having a statistically historic season, on a high seed, and who’s clearly the most valuable to his team should be a lock to win MVP. The only way SGA would have a case is if he was averaging like 38 ppg.

uncleduck13 · Post #20 » by **uncleduck13** » Sat Mar 8, 2025 6:50 pm

tsherkin wrote:I mean, SGA is very clearly an MVP-caliber player. If he wins over Jokic, it won't be some tragedy or farce.

Agreed, this won’t be a robbery by any means. It’s just going to be weird to look back and realize Joker didn’t win MVP in his best season by far and one of top 10 statistical seasons in NBA history