One of the NBA regular season\u2019s most compelling storylines was the battle for MVP, and the names of Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have been plastered all over it. These individual awards are great for future Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and fat bonus checks, but it\u2019s the ring up for grabs this summer that matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m asking a more important question than which of these centers will win MVP; I\u2019m asking if it\u2019ll be Embiid or Jokic who survives longer in the NBA Playoffs<\/a> meat grinder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Embiid and Jokic are both having outstanding seasons, per usual. The 76ers center is the NBA\u2019s scoring champion for the second season in a row, averaging 33.1 points per game on an incredibly efficient 54.8 percent from the field, plus 10.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per night. In all, Embiid chipped in 12.3 win shares<\/a> for his team in 2022\/23, and his 21.3 player impact estimate<\/a> stood atop the Association. The Cameroonian stamped his mark on the close of the campaign with a 52-point performance on a 20-of-25 clip from the field in the 76ers\u2019 103-101<\/a> victory over fellow contender Boston on April 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two time zones away, the Joker\u2019s been dealing in Denver. The back-to-back MVP winner scored 24.5 points per contest in the 2022\/23 campaign, a slight decline from his 27.1 mark for 2021\/22. But what Jokic has lost in scoring, he\u2019s gained in distribution \u2013 the center is passing at an unbelievable level, averaging 9.8 dimes per game as the focal point of the offense with the best team field-goal percentage<\/a> in the NBA. Jokic leads the league in offensive rating (124.2<\/a>) and is third in assist percentage (41.2<\/a>), fourth in true shooting percentage (70.1<\/a>), and fourth in rebounding percentage (18.6<\/a>) among players who played at least 60 games. This man is a wrecking ball of efficiency in nearly every way.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWho Lasts Longer This Summer: Joel Embiid vs Nikola Jokic?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n