East features MVP candidates even with LeBron in the West
With eight shopping days to Christmas, the NBA’s decision to have Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid in its holiday lineup is more than just sides in another hoop smorgasbord.
It puts the spotlight on — and raises a question — about the MVP race, as in, who in the Eastern Conference is a legitimate contender. It’s a question because the last East MVP, LeBron James going on six years ago, has moved West.
Of course, the conversation has to include the biggest name to go the opposite direction this past off-season: Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard, who forced his way out of San Antonio in a trade after missing most of last season with a mysterious leg injury.
“Khawi is certainly an MVPcalibre player and I keep saying that because of how good he is at the defensive end makes him one of the most interesting candidates,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “His dominance at times on that end of the floor, along with dropping in 25-30 points, makes him a two-way interesting candidate.”
“Oh yeah,” first-year Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce declared about the East’s MVP hopes.
“We missed Kawhi last year and the people that coached against him didn’t for a reason,” said Pierce, who was an assistant with the 76ers for Embiid’s first two seasons.
Antetokounmpo — also known as the “Greek Freak” — opens the Christmas lineup a week from Tuesday with a visit to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks, and Embiid will play at East rival Boston. Leonard and the Raptors don’t play Dec. 25.
The 7-foot Embiid is sixth in scoring, third in rebounding and eighth in blocks. Another West star, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, is the other player in the top eight in those three categories.
“It’s a little tougher for those big guys to get in the mix, but I think Joel, he’ll make his mark,” said Pierce. “He’s got to be, if not an MVP, a defensive player of the year candidate.”