Getty Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the first half Game One of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the LA Clippers.
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant knows who he would select if he a say in the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. On the latest episode of The ETCs, Durant told Eddie Gonzalez that he believes that Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid should take home the MVP award for the 2022-23 season.
“Joel Embiid…he was my pick last year too,” Durant told Gonzalez. “It ain’t even just defensively to me. He’s just dominant. He’s just flat out dominant. Unstoppable.”
Durant stated that he believed that Embiid should have won the award last year as well. The 76ers center had a dominant 2022-23 season after averaging a career-high 33.1 points per game to go along with 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Embiid also managed to shoot 54.8% from the field and 33.0% from three point range.
The rest of the NBA seems to be in agreement with Durant when it comes to selecting Embiid for the MVP award. In an anonymous player poll published by The Athletic’s Josh Robbins and Sam Amick, Embiid received 50 percent of the votes from players who casted a ballot.
Kevin Durant picked Joel Embiid for MVP.
“He’s just flat-out unstoppable…Joel’s my guy. He was my guy last year, too.”
Kevin Durant Doubles Down on Sixers’ Joel Embiid as MVP
The NBA’s MVP award has been one of the hottest topics of conversation throughout the 2022-23 season. At one point, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic was viewed as a favorite to win the award. If Jokic were to win, it would be his third-straight MVP award. Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird were the only players to accomplish such a feat.
During the latest episode of The ETCs, Durant was adamant about Joel Embiid bringing home the award for the 2022-23 season. Durant praised Embiid, stating that he’s been “insane” the last two seasons with his level of play.
“I think it’s not like he [needs] sympathy for never getting one, but he’s playing at a dominant level, the last two years has been an insane level, like come on man,” Durant explained.
Embiid would finish second place in the 2021-22 NBA MVP voting behind Jokic. During that season, Embiid went on to average 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 49.9% from the field.
Durant Praises Los Angeles Clippers Defense After Game 2
While Durant is the latest of players to voice their selection for the NBA’s MVP award, the superstar forward will turn his focus to Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Phoenix finds itself tied at 1-1 after a crucial 123-109 win in Game 2 on Tuesday, April 18. Durant would go on to finish with 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks while shooting 10-of-19 from the field.
In a clip shared by Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, Durant praised the defensive ability of the Clippers in Game 2. Despite pulling away from the Clippers at the end of the game, Durant emphasized that the versatility defensively of the Clippers has been challenging.
“You got to give the Clippers credit. They switch their defense up like every possession. They might double you, they might triple, they might go zone, they might go full court press…So they tried to throw us off a bit with their coverages and I though we did a good job of figuring it out.”
“They switch their defense up like every possession.”
Kevin Durant on #ClipperNation defense in #Suns Game 2 win. #NBAPlayoffs
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Suns Superstar Kevin Durant Makes His Selection for the NBA’s MVP