Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons both want Defensive Player of the Year. Who should get it?
Both Sixers stars want Defensive Player of the Year. Who has a stronger case?
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
The end of the NBA’s regular season is often said to be the least consequential part of the calendar, but it does offer intrigue on two levels: teams jockeying for playoff (or draft lottery) position, and players making their final push for individual awards.
The MVP race always gets the most attention, but Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic should have it about wrapped up. Jokic had a strong case to be considered the front-runner for MVP even before top competitors Joel Embiid and LeBron James missed long stretches with injuries, and none of the other challengers — Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Damian Lillard — have done enough to surpass him as the best player of the regular season.