Who is leading in the NBA MVP race?

Coach,

I am not sure why I argue with someone who says Gobert's perimeter defense has been exposed. You talk a lot and know nothing. Gobert is literally the best isolation player against guards in the entire league. Gobert blocks 31% of shots taken by guards attacking him in isolation! 31%!!!!!!! When guards do shoot against Gobert in isolation, they shoot 26%. 26%!!!!!!!!

https://twitter.com/Ben_Dowsett/status/1378473977899741186?s=19

Gobert gets beat sometimes and those plays usually make the highlights. That is the equivalent of saying that Curry gets exposed as a bad shooter. I could go through games and show plenty of highlights of Curry missing shots. Maybe I could make a highlight reel of every 3 point shot Curry has missed. Some might even be in the playoffs!! Oh no! Curry is exposed! He misses 3s every game! He must be terrible!

The Sixers went something like 7-3 when Embiid was out for a few weeks.

That has to hurt his chances of being MVP.

Bon jour' wrote:

Coach,

I am not sure why I argue with someone who says Gobert's perimeter defense has been exposed. You talk a lot and know nothing. Gobert is literally the best isolation player against guards in the entire league. Gobert blocks 31% of shots taken by guards attacking him in isolation! 31%!!!!!!! When guards do shoot against Gobert in isolation, they shoot 26%. 26%!!!!!!!!

https://twitter.com/Ben_Dowsett/status/1378473977899741186?s=19

Gobert gets beat sometimes and those plays usually make the highlights. That is the equivalent of saying that Curry gets exposed as a bad shooter. I could go through games and show plenty of highlights of Curry missing shots. Maybe I could make a highlight reel of every 3 point shot Curry has missed. Some might even be in the playoffs!! Oh no! Curry is exposed! He misses 3s every game! He must be terrible!

There were articles written a few years ago about Gobery's inanity to guard his man on the perimeter. Yes he can help out and block a shot by a driving guard but can he defend Jokic, KAT or other centers when they bring him away from the basket? Read the articles. You think he's the MVP? Great, he's not even one of the best 2 centers in the league.

Inability to guard

Bon jour' wrote:

Coach,

I am not sure why I argue with someone who says Gobert's perimeter defense has been exposed. You talk a lot and know nothing. Gobert is literally the best isolation player against guards in the entire league. Gobert blocks 31% of shots taken by guards attacking him in isolation! 31%!!!!!!! When guards do shoot against Gobert in isolation, they shoot 26%. 26%!!!!!!!!

https://twitter.com/Ben_Dowsett/status/1378473977899741186?s=19

Gobert gets beat sometimes and those plays usually make the highlights. That is the equivalent of saying that Curry gets exposed as a bad shooter. I could go through games and show plenty of highlights of Curry missing shots. Maybe I could make a highlight reel of every 3 point shot Curry has missed. Some might even be in the playoffs!! Oh no! Curry is exposed! He misses 3s every game! He must be terrible!

No player that only averages 14.6 points a game will ever win MVP. Gobert is integral to his team's success but his offensive skills are far too limited.

Bill Russell received quite a few MVPs and averaged fewer than 17 points a game for his career. However year in and out his team won championships.

Look what Jokic has done head to head against Gobert.

coach wrote:

Bill Russell received quite a few MVPs and averaged fewer than 17 points a game for his career. However year in and out his team won championships.

Look what Jokic has done head to head against Gobert.

Russell played in a different era when the game was played in the paint not the perimeter. He also was an outstanding passer and averaged about 5 assists per game the last half of his career.

Gobert is averaging 1.3 assists and 14.6 points. He does nothing to create offense and he is not an M VP candidate.

John Wesley Harding wrote:

Nikola Jokic

For once I disagree, embiid proving it as we speak

Jokic should be MVP and it really shouldn't be close.

Honorable mention to Embiid and Giannis.

Nobody else should really be in the discussion.

Aussiestatman wrote:

John Wesley Harding wrote:

Nikola Jokic

For once I disagree, embiid proving it as we speak

Embiid has only played 33 of 51 games for the Sixers, compared with 50 of 50 games for Jokic. That’s hugely impactful.

I felt Embiid was leading the MVP race until he got injured, but even at face value I think Jokic’s per game stat line (26.4/10.9/8.6) is more impressive than Embiid’s (29.9/11.2/3.2). Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but 8.6 assists per game must be totally unprecedented for a center in the last 50 years (yeah, there was that one season back in 67-68 when Wilt averaged 8.6 apg). Both players are shooting exceptionally well, but Jokic is shooting better (57% FG, 43% 3PT, 86% FT—again, astounding for a 6’11”, 285 lb. guy.

If you need further convincing, please check out some of these current-top lists—the advanced metrics toward the bottom of the page:

Yes, Embiid has a 31.4 to 31.0 edge over Jokic in Player Efficiency Rating, but Jokic is totally running away from the rest of the league in Win Shares, Box Plus/Minus, and Value Over Replacement Player.

coach wrote:

mutt wrote:

No player that only averages 14.6 points a game will ever win MVP. Gobert is integral to his team's success but his offensive skills are far too limited.

Bill Russell received quite a few MVPs and averaged fewer than 17 points a game for his career. However year in and out his team won championships.

Look what Jokic has done head to head against Gobert.

Two players in history have won MVP after averaging fewer than 14.6 ppg: Bill Russell in ‘64-‘65 (14.1) and Wes Unseld in ‘68-‘69 (13.8). So it’s been more than 50 years, and it’s worth noting that those two were selected MVP before the Defensive Player of the Year Award was established. I don’t think Gobert is seriously in the MVP discussion, though it’s a good “devil’s advocate” argument. I think he should win his 3rd DPOY award.