So the NBA’s Joel Embiid scored an impressive 52 points several weeks ago against the Celtics. After the game, Doc Rivers (#6 BEIR) had this to say: “The MVP race is over.”
Of course, the other two runner-ups for the award might disagree … namely, Denver’s Nikola Jokic (#13 FCIR) and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (#13). Embiid’s 52 point game included 20 of 25 shots from the floor and 12 of 13 free throws “en route to his ninth game of the season with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds. Embiid joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (#10 BCAR) and Wilt Chamberlain (#5 FEIR) as the only NBA centers with three 50-point games in a season.”
Let’s stop for a moment to consider Embiid’s prospective MVP title. While FCARs have certainly succeeded in the NBA, a #9 hasn’t won the coveted award in over 20 years. The last #9, in fact, to win an MVP was Kevin Garnett back in 2004. Before him was David Robinson, in 1995. The title has largely gone to #6 BEIRs (Jordan, O’Neal, Rose), #1 FEARs (James, Durant, Harden), and #13 FCIRs (Curry, Antetokounmpo, Jokic).
In spite of the ridiculous racism controversy that Kendrick Perkins (#1 FEAR) started (and fellow #1 Charles Barkley properly refuted), it would be neat to again see a #9 again win an MVP title. Embiid has had a particularly good year this year, and if he continues strong over the next several weeks, he’ll definitely become the next #9 FCAR to be considered the most valuable to his team (and we all know how very much #9s love to be thought of as valuable!).
Written by: Staff
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