Joel Embiid Named MVP Finalist Once Again

After another spectacular season, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been named a finalist for the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award once again.

Last season, Embiid entered the year with a goal to stay healthy and level up his game. While Embiid still dealt with injury issues throughout the season and played in just 51 of 72 regular-season games, he accomplished his other goal by playing at a high level every time he was on the court.

After averaging 28 points per game, 10 rebounds, and two assists while shooting 51-percent from the field and 37-percent from three, Embiid was recognized as an MVP finalist alongside Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic and Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry.

Once the final results were released, Embiid found out he wouldn’t garner the MVP trophy. Instead, it was Jokic who not only had a spectacular season, but also remained healthy throughout the year. 

Now, for the second-straight season, the two dominant bigs are in direct competition once again as Jokic and Embiid have both been named finalists for NBA MVP. This time, they are joined by a fellow big as Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is the third finalist.

Last season, Embiid’s health was a popular reason he didn’t win the award. This season, he made a better case as he stayed healthy for 68 of 82 games. 

Will the NBA’s scoring champion notch his first MVP after averaging a league-high of 30 points per game along with 11 rebounds and four assists while hitting on 49-percent of his field goals and 37-percent of his threes? Or will Jokic or Antetokounmpo claim it once again? Soon enough, the league will find out. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.