Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are the three finalists for the coveted Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award. As the winner will be announced on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, TNT), we take a closer look at the stats for each player to see how they measure up against each other.
First, let’s start with traditional stats, such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game, field goal percentage, double-doubles, and triple-doubles. Embiid’s standout stat is his 33.1 points per game, while Jokic’s is his 9.8 assists per game. When combining his points and assists, Jokic accounts for 49 points per game, which tops the combined totals of both Giannis (46.2) and Embiid (43.9). Jokic also finished with decisive leads in field goal percentage, double-doubles, and triple-doubles.
Moving on to advanced metrics, Jokic boasts a sizable lead in offensive efficiency rating at 124.2, while Embiid finished at 119 and Antetokounmpo at 116.4. Jokic also holds a lower usage rate than Embiid and Antetokounmpo, indicating that he is more of a pass-first point guard than a dominating scorer.
Scoring profiles also differ among the finalists. Embiid scored fewer than half of his points inside the paint compared to Antetokounmpo and Jokic. Embiid led from the mid-range and free-throw line, while Antetokounmpo inked in nearly 30% of his offense in transition, and Jokic led among players in scoring on post-ups.
In breaking down play types, Embiid led all players in scoring as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets at 8.2 points per game, while Antetokounmpo led all players in scoring in transition at 9.3 points per game. Jokic led among players in scoring on post-ups at 6.4 points per game, showing his versatility and ability to score closer to the basket.
The winner of the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award will be announced on Tuesday, with Jokic, Embiid, and Antetokounmpo making their cases for the coveted title.
