Philadelphia 76ers’ center and reigning MVP Joel Embiid was the clear frontrunner in the 2024 NBA MVP race, but it appears things will change going forward, as “The Process” suffered a knee injury during Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors. He has missed 12 games so far and will undergo an MRI and is expected to miss time as the franchise wants to be cautious. Thus, Embiid is on the verge of becoming ineligible for the NBA MVP award based on the updated player participation policy. A player must appear in 65 or more games to be eligible for major individual awards. If the 76ers center misses another six games, he will be ineligible. With that in mind, let’s have a look at the current top five contenders for the MVP award.
5) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been playing incredibly well since the beginning of the season. He is the main reason for the Thunder’s impressive performance so far, as the team is currently in second place in the Western Conference with 33 wins and 15 losses. Shai became a two-time All-Star last week, and is averaging 31.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 47 games.
4) Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is already a two-time NBA MVP and 2021 Finals MVP. He is having another amazing season despite his team’s recent struggles. Antetokounmpo is in the 2024 NBA MVP race after averaging 30.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in 46 appearances.
3) Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics are having a great season with 37 wins and 12 losses. They are the frontrunners to be on top of the Eastern Conference as they continue to play with consistency on both offense and defense. Tatum has appeared in 45 games with the Celtics and is averaging 26.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists. He is one of the top contenders for the 2024 NBA MVP award.
2) Luka Doncic
The Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is having another great season and will emerge as the frontrunner to claim the award if Joel Embiid becomes ineligible. Doncic is averaging 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 9.6 assists. He has only missed eight of the 48 games Dallas has played this season.
1) Nikola Jokic
The two-time MVP, Finals MVP and defending champion Nikola Jokic is averaging 26.3 points, 12.1 rebounds and 9.0 assists. He has appeared in 47 of the Nuggets’ 49 games and is the frontrunner to win the 2024 NBA MVP award.
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