NBA MVP Discussion 20/21 (Fresh poll ➥ Vote)

[Dnt hate]

First of all I think Embiid is having great season. Now about Jokic's defense. Advanced stats always have him as very good defender and here is why:
1. 4th in the league in deflections per game
2. 8th in the league in box outs per game
https://www.nba.com/stats/players/hustle-leaders/
I think these stats are important for defense
3. 6th in the league in steals per game
https://www.espn.com/nba/stats/player/_/table/defensive/sort/avgSteals/dir/desc
In these stats he is not the best among centers he is among the best in the league.
Now one thing that majority of people who don't understand the game like to point to as proof that Jokic is terrible defender.
Rim protection:
https://www.nba.com/stats/players/opponent-shooting/?Season=2020-21&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PlayerPosition=C&sort=Less%20Than%205%20ft.%20FGM&dir=1
Embiid is allowing 58% shooting from less then 5 ft, while Jokic is terrible with 66% opponent shooting. What people don't get is the fact that opponents score 12.7 fgm from less then 5 ft against Embiid and 12.5 against Jokic. The fact is Joel is letting people to the rim were he attacks them while Jokic is using positioning to prevent opponents to take shots under the rim.
Not so hard to understand I guess

I'll say this though and I think u will agree, players are less likely to go into the paint against anchors like Gobert and Embiid, than against Jokic who they are less likely to fear, I've watched enough to be certain on that

Click and see for yourself

https://www.nba.com/stats/players/opponent-shooting/?Season=2020-21&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PlayerPosition=C&sort=Less%20Than%205%20ft.%20FGM&dir=1

Opponent shooting from less than 5 ft

Rudy Gobert 17.4 fga / 9.8 fgm
Nikola Jokic 19 fga / 12.5 fgm
Joel Embiid 21.8 fga / 12.7 fgm

Of the three mentioned Gobert allows least fga and fgm from less than 5 ft, Jokic is second and Joel is third. Maybe Joel is not in a good position to prevent drives often which may go unnoticed by eye test.

I definitely have noticed Embiid putting less effort on defense when he goes for big games such as the 50 point game which is understandable

[Jurassic_Park]

Tough day for the mvp candidates. Embiid lost. Jokic lost. Lebron lost yest. Lilard lost yest.

Super weird year for the mvp race. So wide open still

[kuclas]

Embiid had a weird game tonight. Stat wise. Very bad 6-20. A few shots rim in and out. Just one of those nights.

25/17/2. They key stat here is the 2 assists. Toronto was hard double teaming Embiid even from 20 feet out. Usually in the past they would wait till he gets to within 10 feet. Embiid made the right passes. Guys were wide open. Shots just didn’t fall for the open guy. I think you will be seeing more teams defend Embiid this way when the games count. Teams with quick speedy wings small guards. Hope their rotating guys can close out the sixers shooters.

[DCasey91]

Love me some Harden. Probably end up 1 seed in the East, Irving/Durant will miss a bunch of games. Bulky durable son of a gun.

Putting up absurd numbers/efficiency/and usage wise is very low.

Out of all the absurd numbers superstars are putting up look at Hardens stat line for the Nets:

24/8/11.7 on 66ts% on a 50/40/90 with only 25% usage and a 129 offensive rating. That’s ridiculous lol.

Post the harden trade , the Nets offense has been transformed into the greatest of all time. All the Nets players efficiency has gone through the roof. If the short handed Nets beat the Clippers tonight, harden has to be intensely involved in the conversation

The Nets were languishing at 6-6 pre trade but have played much better and have been playing either without one of Kyrie or KD for majority of the time. If Harden can beat the Suns, Lakers and the Clippers trio without KD yeah it’s on

Harden darkhorse maybe? Hehe
Either way I’m here for the Harden takeover lol

[BrooklynDynasty]

It's time to stop pretending, James Edward Harden Junior is playing the best ball of anyone in the association right now, if you must give him the MVP that Westbrick stole from him on account of bad media voters.

[Openheimer]

James harden Without KD just put the Nets on his back and went 5-0 on the road. Including consecutive wins over Phoenix, Lakers and Clippers. MVP case starting to heat up

[Big J]

Harden isn’t winning MVP this year because of what happened in Houston. His season didn’t start when he got traded. I think he’s fine with that so there’s no reason to bring him up in here.

[Big J]

Are we sure Giannis is out of his this thing yet?

[Blaze94]

Wheres Kawhi on this Poll?????

Kawhi could have moved to 3rd on MVP list if not for the refs and Hardens flop..what BS

[Packbuckman]

Are we sure Giannis is out of his this thing yet?

Giannis free throws look so much better now his whole shooting form looks way better. If he can continue this for the rest of this season and in playoffs with Holiday coming back soon after being out so far 8 gms with health protocols I like this team so much better.

[Openheimer]

Harden isn’t winning MVP this year because of what happened in Houston. His season didn’t start when he got traded. I think he’s fine with that so there’s no reason to bring him up in here.

It’s about on court play and hardens on court play is as good as anyone right now

[DCasey91]

It's time to stop pretending, James Edward Harden Junior is playing the best ball of anyone in the association right now, if you must give him the MVP that Westbrick stole from him on account of bad media voters.

He easily could be a three time MVP

the 36ppg year heck even the 34ppg year just passed. Got super glossed over like it was usual for him.

He placed both times but that 36ppg year I had him firmly MVP. That’s up there with the greatest stretch of scoring in NBA history.

MJ, Kobe, Wilt whoever. He was in uncharted waters though because he dished out a heap of assists too.

His MVP year he’s arguably had two rs seasons better. Absurd from him.

Hardly anyone has scored that good since prime MJ in what the past 5-6 years of play from Harden. and casually add on 10+ assists a game like it’s a normal thing.

[BoatsNZones]

It's time to stop pretending, James Edward Harden Junior is playing the best ball of anyone in the association right now, if you must give him the MVP that Westbrick stole from him on account of bad media voters.

He easily could be a three time MVP

the 36ppg year heck even the 34ppg year just passed. Got super glossed over like it was usual for him.

He placed both times but that 36ppg year I had him firmly MVP. That’s up there with the greatest stretch of scoring in NBA history.

MJ, Kobe, Wilt whoever. He was in uncharted waters though because he dished out a heap of assists too.

His MVP year he’s arguably had two rs seasons better. Absurd from him.

Hardly anyone has scored that good since prime MJ in what the past 5-6 years of play from Harden. and casually add on 10+ assists a game like it’s a normal thing.

We know who Harden is. And it's definitely not the MVP. After being considered a paper-hero for years, he once again had his chance to prove his worth in 2019 when KD went down mid-series @ Houston in a 2-2 series with the game tied. But (advisory warning) Curry slapped his dick on his face ONCE-AGAIN and sent them packing immediately. That's Harden in a nutshell. He certainly deserves zero MVP consideration in a season where he threw his organization under the bus to join multiple other offensive superstars (on a team where he is the 2nd best player), and he won't get any.

Sorry for the rant, but Harden-MVP-talk nonsense is just that.

[Dupp]

James harden is good

[DCasey91]

It's time to stop pretending, James Edward Harden Junior is playing the best ball of anyone in the association right now, if you must give him the MVP that Westbrick stole from him on account of bad media voters.

He easily could be a three time MVP

the 36ppg year heck even the 34ppg year just passed. Got super glossed over like it was usual for him.

He placed both times but that 36ppg year I had him firmly MVP. That’s up there with the greatest stretch of scoring in NBA history.

MJ, Kobe, Wilt whoever. He was in uncharted waters though because he dished out a heap of assists too.

His MVP year he’s arguably had two rs seasons better. Absurd from him.

Hardly anyone has scored that good since prime MJ in what the past 5-6 years of play from Harden. and casually add on 10+ assists a game like it’s a normal thing.

We know who Harden is. And it's definitely not the MVP. After being considered a paper-hero for years, he once again had his chance to prove his worth in 2019 when KD went down mid-series @ Houston in a 2-2 series with the game tied. But (advisory warning) Curry slapped his dick on his face ONCE-AGAIN and sent them packing immediately. That's Harden in a nutshell. He certainly deserves zero MVP consideration in a season where he threw his organization under the bus to join multiple other offensive superstars (on a team where he is the 2nd best player), and he won't get any.

Sorry for the rant, but Harden-MVP-talk nonsense is just that.

I’m pretty sure MVP is a regular season award last time I checked lol. It’s nonsense not talking about him in MVP conversation. That part is nonsense.

[MindState]

Sad thing for Currys already slim chances is his team simply isnt good enough to move up from the 8th seed, they might even end the year at the 9th depending on what the Mavs do. They have proven they are incapable of winning 3 in a row which means they will be permanently locked at the 8th seed or lower if you look at the competition.

Dubs have the worst roster in the NBA outside of Curry. Im hoping he saves some of himself for next year when they actually have a decent shot of competing.

[GSP]

This might be the tightest race of alltime. There could potentially be a good 4-5 candidates with a healthy dose of 1st place votes which never really happens

[Openheimer]

It's time to stop pretending, James Edward Harden Junior is playing the best ball of anyone in the association right now, if you must give him the MVP that Westbrick stole from him on account of bad media voters.

He easily could be a three time MVP

the 36ppg year heck even the 34ppg year just passed. Got super glossed over like it was usual for him.

He placed both times but that 36ppg year I had him firmly MVP. That’s up there with the greatest stretch of scoring in NBA history.

MJ, Kobe, Wilt whoever. He was in uncharted waters though because he dished out a heap of assists too.

His MVP year he’s arguably had two rs seasons better. Absurd from him.

Hardly anyone has scored that good since prime MJ in what the past 5-6 years of play from Harden. and casually add on 10+ assists a game like it’s a normal thing.

We know who Harden is. And it's definitely not the MVP. After being considered a paper-hero for years, he once again had his chance to prove his worth in 2019 when KD went down mid-series @ Houston in a 2-2 series with the game tied. But (advisory warning) Curry slapped his dick on his face ONCE-AGAIN and sent them packing immediately. That's Harden in a nutshell. He certainly deserves zero MVP consideration in a season where he threw his organization under the bus to join multiple other offensive superstars (on a team where he is the 2nd best player), and he won't get any.

Sorry for the rant, but Harden-MVP-talk nonsense is just that.

are you braindead? Harden is playing as well as anyone and carrying his team without KD to wins on tough road games. What a bozo. Yeah a top 4 player and maybe the best offensive player or at worst top three dosent deserve mvp consideration? Go jump off a bridge and stop wasting oxygen.

Yeah a guy who might the greatest duel threat guard in his prime is not an mvp candidate ? Lol you need help bro.

[Beta ray bill]

Im genuinely offended Kawhi isnt on the poll

Yeah man, I'm very offended also. He may not be in the current top 3 (embiid, jokic, lebron for me right now) but he is definitely right there in top 5 or at least top 7. It seems OP is Kawhi hater smh. How I hope Kawhi wins MVP to make this thread look foolish.

[Spud2nique]

Co MVP’s Trae Young and Clint Capela!