ANTHONY DAVIS
Points: 21.8
Rebounds: 7.9
Assists: 3.1
Anthony Davis continues to disappoint me. Since he has come into the league, I have expected him to emerge as the second coming of Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett. Don’t get me wrong, he has had his moments, but not nearly enough to put him in the category of those two recent Hall of Fame players. Another thing that frustrates me about AD is that he is always hurt. I know injuries are a part of the game, but this kid gets hurt from a paper cut. To keep it real, Julius Randle has had a better regular season than him, but AD still gets credit for being a defending NBA champion.
Centers
NIKOLA JOKIC
Points: 26.4
Rebounds: 10.8
Assists: 8.3
Nikola Jokic is the heavy favorite to win this year’s MVP award. Some people in the media have said he is the frontrunner by default. He is one of the few premier players to have played almost every game this season. But let’s give credit where credit is due; the “Big Joker” is that dude. I talked about how Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t yet have the skill set to combat defensive schemes against him. Well, it’s just the opposite with Jokic. He can post up and pass out the double team. He has mid-range and suitable handles to drive to the rim. And if you leave him open, he will knock down the three-point shot.
JOEL EMBIID
Points: 28.5
Rebounds: 10.6
Assists: 2.8
I could have copied my summary of Nikola Jokic and pasted it here for Joel Embiid. Joel is the runner-up in the MVP race and probably would be the winner if he didn’t miss so many games. Embiid is a more dominant scorer than Jokic. He is not a better passer but is a better defender. There is more pressure on Embiid to succeed in the playoffs. I expect a conference finals appearance, but I wouldn’t pick them to beat the Brooklyn Nets.