Rivers 'obviously disappointed' Embiid did not win MVP

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid led the NBA in scoring this season. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

76ers head coach Doc Rivers 'obviously disappointed' Joel Embiid did not win MVP

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 5/10/22

With Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Miami Heat scheduled for Tuesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers have bigger things to worry about than superstar center Joel Embiid not winning the 2021-2022 NBA MVP Award. However, that doesn't mean that members of the team are barred from spending a few free minutes airing their disagreements with Embiid falling again in the MVP vote to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

Rivers added: "I do think this whole analytic-driven society is out of control sometimes. The measures that they use, you know, like, watch the dang game and decide is what I always said #Sixers
— Justin Grasso (@JGrasso_) May 10, 2022

Jokic's hardware is of course for the regular season, and while the Nuggets were knocked out in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs against the Golden State Warriors, Embiid's Sixers are currently knotted at two games apiece in their second-round series against the Heat. The former Kansas Jayhawk big man missed the first two contests of the best-of-seven against Miami — both Philadelphia losses — with a concussion, orbital fracture and torn ligament in his thumb but was vital to the Sixers winning Game 3 and Game 4 on Friday and Sunday at home.

Denver's Serbian standout averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game during the regular season. Jokic also became the first player to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season.

Embiid finished the 2021-2022 campaign with a career-high (and NBA-best) 30.6 points per game, as well as 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per contest. His assists and minutes average (33.8) were both career highs, as were his 68 games played.

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