Brooklyn Nets’ Mikal Bridges Picks Sixers’ Joel Embiid as NBA MVP
On Saturday, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers will face Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of the first-round series in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. As the Sixers focus on their playoff run, many are paying attention to the MVP race as well.
For the third-straight season, Sixers center Joel Embiid is in the race to become the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Over the last two seasons, Embiid was named the runner-up, while Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic won the award.
While Jokic is looking to make it a three-peat, Embiid has garnered a lot of MVP love over the last couple of weeks. And the big man’s upcoming competitor Mikal Bridges, is one of the latest players to endorse Embiid as the 2023 NBA MVP.
Bridges joins other NBA standouts such as Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, and more in thinking that Embiid is the clear frontrunner this time around.
In 66 games this season, Embiid averaged a league-high 33 points, ten rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks per game. He shot the ball at a career-high 55 percent from the field.
Judging based on ESPN’s latest straw poll and MVP voters who have made their picks public over the last couple of weeks, Embiid seems to be the popular vote as of now. A lot can change over time but it seems Embiid is closer to winning the award than ever.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
