NBA bigs back in the MVP conversation
Basketball is considered a tall man’s game; that height is might and everything.
The likes of Wilt Chamberlain, who set many unbreakable records, Moses Malone, Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, and the most dominant big man Shaquille O’Neal are some of the most notable MVP’s from the past years, and they have been dominating the paint.
However, as years passed by, the game continues to evolve. Smaller players started to carve their way into the league and dominate in more considerable ways than the bigs.
Steve Nash, James Harden are some of the minor players who topped the NBA in recent years, and of course, Stephen Curry, who changed the game forever.
You may argue becauseGiannisAntetokoumnpo had won back-to-back MVP, but he is not a legitimate center.
The big man who last won the MVP was Tim Duncan in 2003, and the last legit center to win was O’Neal in 2000.
Now a decade and a year later, the centers are regaining supremacy.
In this year’s MVP debate, centers like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are leading the race. And the two of them can win the MVP this season.
Jokic already had 15 triple-double for this reason while averaging 26.4 per game, 11.1 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and a 3-point shooting percentage of 42%.
On the other hand, Embiid may have finally finished the process as he is averaging career-highs 29.9 points per game and 11.2 rebounds. Has already recorded 25 double-doubles this season.
Now the only question left is that can they continue or even top this averages as the season goes on to win an MVP?