The race for the prize MVPthe most prestigious individual award given by the NBA during his normal phase, it is one of the biggest and hardest battles to win. Not only do you have to perform at an excellent level and be consistent, you also have to be in a team that occupies relevant positions. After the month of February, the 2022-2023 season enters its decisive phase to determine the MVP. A battle that looks like a replica of the last three seasons, with Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid fighting for the prize.
With all of this in mind, the NBA’s newsroom Sports news He picked his five MVP favorites this past February. The grading system is very simple: 1st gets 5 points. the 2nd, 4; and so on.
Click here to see the votes and positions
#5 – Luka Doncic
- Statistics in February: 31.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists
Exception among the winners of this ranking will once again be Luka Doncic. The Slovenian is steadily walking towards his first top scorer title thanks to 33.1 pointss that he averages in the 52 games he has played, while also adding 8.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists. Scandal numbers for some Mavs suffering to stay in the region that gives direct access to the Playoffs.
The former Real Madrid player is benefiting from his arrival Kyrie Irvingbut it still has a long way to go before it makes sense, which has resulted in a slight decrease in its offensive use.
#4 – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Statistics in February: 28.0 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists
Something strange is happening with Giannis this season. Without a doubt, the Greek is having his best scoring campaign, raising his average to 31.3 points.
The problem comes when the magnifying glass is turned on his performance in front of the basket, after he increased his numbers thanks to an increase in his shooting volume by 2.1 fields per night, while decreasing the number of three-pointers (0.7 fewer). going more to the free kick (1.3 more). A mixture that results in a very low 53.8% field goal accuracy and 64.6% free throw accuracy despite having 37.6% offensive usagethe highest percentage in the entire NBA.
Antetokounmpo is having a great season, but not enough to be a solid enough MVP candidate.
#3 – Jayson Tatum
- Statistics in February: 25.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists
The third to reoccupy the rankings is Jayson Tatum, whose relative anomaly sees him oscillate between the fifth and bottom drawer of the podium each month.
The Celtics star had his worst month so far this season, falling below 30 points a night for the first time this season. However, his performance has not suffered as the forward has contributed in other aspects as well, especially in the creation of the play, setting his best assist record in February.
The thing about Tatum is that his highs are extremely brilliant, including 41 points against the Hornets in 10 or the game-winning shot against the 76ers on Saturday 25. Which makes his candidacy for the second spot above Embiid justified, more when Boston is the best team in the East.
#2 – Joel Embiid
- Statistics in February: 30.8 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks
This was Joel Embiid’s year. With Jokic having won the last two back-to-back awards over the Cameroonian, the interior just had to manage to stay healthy and play a respectable number of games for the MVP to end up in his showcase.
But no.
Once again injuries and load management could cut the 76ers star out of contention for the award as EMbiid has lost 20.4% of his team’s games to this point in the run. A number that will surely end up increasing when the regular season ends and will make it very difficult for voters to choose him over a Jokic who has worked like clockwork.
Availability is a key factor in today’s NBA. Not only does it add more volume numerically, but it’s also a positive point when evaluating performance over the course of a season. Resting every x number of matches allows you to better concentrate your efforts and thus deliver better performances.
Yes, Embiid is playing at an MVP level. Yes, his numbers justify him as a more than legitimate contender for the award. But all of that loses weight if he’s only played 16 straight games this season. That’s the big problem keeping African from winning the trophy because even if he played all of the 76ers’ remaining games, the total would rise to 69. Only Bill Walton (58) won it with fewer in an 82 campaign games, which doesn’t seem like it can be replicated at this point.
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#1 – Nikola Jokic
- Statistics in February: 22.6 points, 14.2 rebounds and 10.2 assists
The only thing at this point can deprive Nikola Jokic of making history and joining legends like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird it’s voter burnout in favor of Joel Embiid. The reality is that the Serb is having the best season of his career, surpassing the previous two in which he won. Night after night, the interior shows he’s the best player in the NBA since he doesn’t need to put up big scoring numbers like other contenders to impact the game. It is enough for him to jump on the field, find his place and be patient, making those who accompany him appreciate his work.
It’s not just that Jokic has played in nearly 88% of the Nuggets’ games, or even that Colorado is 5.5 games out of second place, it’s that the joker averages a triple-double that is inside.
Their impact goes beyond what traditional statistics show, and to avoid falling into the same arguments as previous months, it’s time to take a look at the on- and off-field impact of the five candidates featured here.
| Player | Clear score on the field | net assessment | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | +13.6 | -10.8 | -24.4 |
| Joel Embiid | +8.9 | -2.9 | -11.8 |
| Jason Tatum | +9.0 | -0.4 | -9.4 |
| John Antetokounmpo | +6.9 | -0.9 | -7.8 |
| Luka Doncic | +2.8 | -2.6 | -5.4 |
It is no coincidence that the order of this ranking was voted by Sports news writing they end up coinciding with what advanced statistics reflect.
But there’s more, since if the RAPTOR metric is revised, which combines on/off numbers with tracking, the Serb again comes out on top, albeit in slightly different positions:
- Nikola Jokic: +14.1 KIDNAPPING
- Luka Doncic: +9.1
- Joel Embiid: +8.1
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (12th overall): +5.7
- Jayson Tatum (30th): +3.9
This MVP has had Nikola Jokic’s name locked in for months, and it’s time to recognize and appreciate it.
votes and positions
seats
| pos. | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikola Jokic | twenty |
| 2 | Joel Embiid | fifteen |
| 3 | Jason Tatum | 13 |
| 4 | John Antetokounmpo | 8 |
| 5 | Luka Doncic | 5 |
voting
| pos. | Augustine Aboy (@AboyAgustin) | Sergio Rabinal (@S_Rabinal) | Juan Esteves (@JuanEstevez90) | Leandro Fernandez (@FernandezLea) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikola Jokic | Nikola Jokic | Nikola Jokic | Nikola Jokic |
| 2 | Jason Tatum | Joel Embiid | Joel Embiid | Joel Embiid |
| 3 | Joel Embiid | Jason Tatum | Jason Tatum | John Antetokounmpo |
| 4 | John Antetokounmpo | Luka Doncic | John Antetokounmpo | Jason Tatum |
| 5 | Luka Doncic | John Antetokounmpo | Luka Doncic | Luka Doncic |
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
