4 Thoughts on Joel Embiid Leading Jokic in MVP Straw Poll
Soon enough, the NBA will open the official polls for media members to cast their votes for the end-of-season awards. Once again, the league’s Most Valuable Player award has become a controversial race and could become one of the tightest finishes in league history.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, and Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo are on pace to be the award’s three finalists for the second-straight season. For Embiid and Jokic, this would be their third-straight season in the final running.
If Jokic wins, he would join a short list of legends who have won the award three times in a row. If not, then Embiid would more than likely have an opportunity to win his first major award in his seven-year career with the Sixers.
Over at ESPN, the third edition of the MVP straw poll was put together by Tim Bontemps. In previous additions, Embiid trailed. This time around, the big man is out in front with a slight lead.
Based on the results of the latest survey, here’s what stands out:
1. The Timing of the Votes
On Monday, the Sixers paid a visit to the Denver Nuggets. The matchup was expected to serve as a final look at the battle between Jokic and Embiid. Unfortunately, calf tightness caused Embiid to sit out and miss the matchup.
Many assumed that Embiid’s absence, and Jokic’s triple-double in a win over the undermanned Sixers, would push Embiid off the top of the ladder. On Tuesday, Embiid was no longer the majority favorite at most major spotsbooks, but the straw poll tells a different story.
The latest wave of votes came after Monday's game and into Wednesday's matchup between the Sixers and the Dallas Mavericks. With the latest results, Embiid takes first place. The last time voters were polled, he was third.
2. Jokic Still Leads an Important Category
First-place votes hold the most weight for obvious reasons. Although Embiid is on top with the most points, he doesn’t have the most first-place votes.
Jokic led in that category 42-40. Fortunately for Embiid, his 45 second-place votes, six more than Jokic, helped widen the gap just enough to allow Embiid to finish with two more total points.
3. Giannis Antetokoumpo Is Still In The Hunt
Don’t count the Greek Freak out just yet. While it seems the MVP award is a two-man race between Jokic and Embiid, Giannis is still in the picture. While his odds of winning lower as each Jokic or Embiid performance passes, consistency will keep the Bucks’ superstar in the hunt down to the wire.
Overall, Giannis finished with 18 first-place votes. He was the only player besides Jokic and Embiid to garner first-place votes. With 15 for second place, 64 for third, and three total between fourth and fifth, Antetokounmpo finished with 612 total votes, 176 behind Jokic.
4. Voters Remain Undecided
The straw poll is typically very accurate and tends to mirror the final results, but this season might be different. With the race between Jokic and Embiid so tight, the true results might swing in a different direction based on the tiniest factors.
Two quotes from anonymous voters stood out. One made it clear that their answers were not final. Another asked if the polling could would until the regular season concludes. That indicates that some voters simply remain undecided at this time.
The Sixers have six games left. The Nuggets have seven. With Embiid back out on the floor and Jokic continuing to play, both guys have a handful of opportunities to help or hurt their case. Whether they care to do the former or not is up to them to decide, but it’s become clear that the decision to crown the league’s MVP will come down to the wire.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
