Report: Embiid again finishes behind Jokic for MVP

Sixers

Report: Embiid again finishes behind Jokic for MVP

MVP is reportedly not in the cards for Joel Embiid this season.

The NBA’s scoring champion finished behind Nikola Jokic in voting for the award for a second straight season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday morning.

Wojnarowski reported that the league is expected to formally announce the award this week. In addition to Jokic and Embiid, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was the other finalist.

Embiid and Antetokounmpo will hope to meet each other in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks hold a 2-1 second-round series lead over the Celtics, while the Sixers evened things at two games apiece with a win Sunday night over the Heat in Philadelphia.

Jokic had another incredible season as the Nuggets’ do-everything big man, leading Denver to 48 wins despite Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. combining to play nine games. He averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.5 steals.

“He’s an amazing player,” Embiid said of Jokic in March. “He’s a monster. … What he’s able to do on a basketball floor, it’s crazy. From big man to big man, I’m happy. When you look at who’s dominating the league and who the best players are, it’s really all big men, whether it’s Giannis; Jokic; (Kevin Durant’s) not a big, but he’s also 7 feet. And it’s also foreign guys. Foreign guys are really taking over — Luka (Doncic). It’s great for us.”

Jokic and Denver lost in the first round to the Warriors. Embiid, meanwhile, has added a couple of signature career moments already this postseason after scoring a league-best 30.6 points per game in a career-high 68 contests, including a game-winning three-pointer against the Raptors and a dramatic, masked return to action against the Heat.

Regardless of when MVP is officially announced, his largest concern will be Game 5 on Tuesday night in Miami.