The Case Against Nikola Jokic for 2022 NBA MVP

Even with all of the challenges Denver faced this season, an MVP should deliver more wins—or at least lead his team to better than a No. 6 seed.This is especially true when comparing Jokic to Embiid and Antetokounmpo, both of whom had strong stats and also lifted their teams to better records and a real shot at a title. While there's certainly value in Jokic becoming the first player in league history to register 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a single season while having a career season shooting the ball, the MVP award has never been and never should be about stats only. They had strong statistical seasons that captivated fans to turn out and see them play, and they got their teams home-court advantage in Round 1 as the fourth and third seeds in the East, respectively.The Value of 'Empty Stats'After winning MVP last year, Jokic averaged career highs this season in points (27.1) and rebounds (13.8) per game. If Not Jokic, Who?The player I picked for MVP, Embiid, raised his assist numbers from 2.8 per game last year to 4.2 this season. That's never more evident than when you consider where Embiid is when the Sixers need a critical defensive stop, especially compared to Jokic's defensive struggles when teams run pick-and-rolls and get him switched out on a guard.The historical relevance of Jokic becoming the NBA's first 2,000-1,000-500 player, while subject to debate among fans and analysts alike, isn't as important as Embiid's season for the modern-day center—at least if you ask me.Embiid led the league in scoring, becoming the first center to do so since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.