Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo repeat as MVP finalists

Twice Defending NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola JokicAnd Joel Embiid And Giannis Antikonmo They were named finalists for the League’s Most Valuable Player Award for the second consecutive season on Friday.

The award winners for the league’s top seven individual awards, which are voted on by members of the media, are announced on TNT’s “Inside The NBA” prior to Friday night’s Eastern Conference game in Miami between the Heat and the NBA. Chicago Bulls. Polling is scheduled for Monday night.

Jokic, Embiid and Antetokounmpo finished with that ranking in last season’s MVP voting and in three of the top four in the 2021 MVP voting.

Jokic will become the fourth player in NBA history to win three in a row, joining Hall of Famers Larry Bird, roommate wilt And Bill Russell. He’s coming off the season becoming just the third player and first average player to hit a triple-double and lead Denver to the top seed in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, Embiid led the league in scoring for the second straight season, the first center to do so since Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo in the 1970s, and he finished second to Jokic in the last two MVP ballots.

Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee Bucks For the best record in the NBA, he looks forward to the third MVP award.

The Grizzlies forward will be awarded the highest defensive honor in the league. Garren Jackson Jr. , leading the league in blocks per game (3.0) for the second straight season, along with Bucks center Brock Lopez and Cavaliers forward. Evan Mobley. Lopez helped Milwaukee post the best record in the NBA and the fourth-best defense this season, while Mobley helped solidify the best defense in the league this season.

Leading Rookie of the Year was the top pick in this year’s draft, forward Orlando Magic Paolo Pancheroalong with two other selections that fall outside the top 10: Intro File Oklahoma City ThunderAnd Jalen Williams, the 12th overall pick in the draft last June. project and center Utah JazzAnd Walker Kesslerwhich ranked 22nd before Minnesota Timberwolves before it is included in the exchange Rudy Goubert.

For Sixth Man of the Year, the leading nominees for the award are guard Boston CelticsAnd Malcolm Brogdonand accompaniment New York KnicksAnd Emmanuel Quicklyteamed with Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr.

He was a team coach Sacramento KingsMike Brown, who has already won the NBA Coach of the Year award, was named one of three finalists for the NBA Coaching Best honor after a stellar season in his first year in Sacramento, which put the Kings back in the playoffs. He is joined by Thunder coach Mark Daignault and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who is in his first year on the job after taking over before Ime Udoka’s training camp began.

Also for kings, archery guard Daron Fox He was named one of three finalists for his first-ever Clutch Player of the Year award, after his late heroics helped the Kings finish third in the West. Both of them joined him as a finalist for this award Jimmy Butler from miami like DeMar DeRozan from chicago.

Finally, the jazz frontman, Laurie Markkanenwho made his first All-Star team this season after his acquisition from the Cavaliers in a trade Donovan Mitchell Last summer and the ranger of thunder, Gilgos Alexander Tea, who was named a first-time All-Star and expected to be an All-NBA selection this year, was also two of three finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award. Knicks guard joined them, Galen Bronsonwho shone in New York after signing with the franchise as a free agent from the Dallas Mavericks last summer.

The NBA will announce the winners in the coming weeks as the playoffs that begin this weekend will also reveal All-NBA, All-Defense and All-Rookie Team selections. They were all voted on by a panel of 100 members of the media.