The NBA announced its finalists for the 2020-21 MVP award and it’s not really surprising.
Denver Nuggets C Nikola Jokic, Golden State Warriors PG Stephen Curry and Philadelphia 76ers C Joel Embiid are the three finalists for MVP. Jokic, who has been the betting favorite for months now, is expected to run away with the votes to win the award. Embiid had spent time as the favorite but lost steam due to injuries and an underwhelming case. Curry was the dark horse who came out of nowhere late in the season to close the gap and get himself in the top 3.
The Nuggets were in contention for the West’s top seed for much of the season with Jokic leading the way before an injury to Jamal Murray took Denver off the pace. The Serbian center has emerged a dominant force in his sixth season, averaging a career-high 26.4 points and 8.3 assists per game while matching his career-high 10.8 rebounds per contest. He also showed improvement from last season from behind the arc. As a second-round selection, Jokic may be one of the biggest steals in NBA history if he can maintain his MVP status as his career progresses.
Embiid was nearly as dominant for the East’s No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He only appeared in 51 games, but that was enough to qualify for awards in a 72-game season.
Curry emerged as an MVP candidate late in the season after a ridiculous nine game stretch from April 4 to April 19, averaging 41.3 points per game on 55.6 percent shooting. His late-season push helped the Warriors secure a spot in the play-in tournament while Curry bagged the league’s scoring title.