The NBA regular season has come to an end. It’s time to start talking about who should win the MVP. The award is announced at the beginning of the conference finals. Even though this season was condensed, these players played at an extremely high level and are all candidates for the 2021 NBA MVP award. 

Steph Curry

Steph Curry has been playing lights out lately. Curry captured the league’s scoring title this season. 

Curry only played five games last season before he was sidelined with a hand injury for the rest of the season. The Warriors ended up finishing last in the Western Conference without Curry being in the lineup. This goes to show that Curry is a vital piece to the Warriors. 

Russell Westbrook

Westbrook averaged a triple double this season while also breaking Oscar Robertson’s triple double record. Westbrook helped the Wizards secure a spot in the Eastern Conference play in the tournament against the Boston Celtics.

The Wizards missed the playoffs last season going 32-50 and finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference. Westbrook was traded to Washington in the beginning of December and are now 34-38 and are the eighth seed.

Giannis Antetkounmpo

It’s hard not to talk about the reigning MVP when talking about the MVP race. Giannis is trying to secure his third straight MVP after winning the award the past two seasons. 

Giannis averaged  28 points and 11 rebounds during the regular season. Giannis is one of the most physical players in the league. Giannis is averaging almost 17 points in the paint per game. Giannis and the Bucks hold the three seed  and will play the Miami Heat during the first round of the playoffs.

Joel Embiid

Embiid is another physical player in the paint. Embiid averaged 28 points and 11 rebounds this past season. At seven feet tall and 280lbs, once Embiid drives into the paint he is almost impossible to stop. The “Trust the process” slogan that team dawned a few years ago, has finally worked. The 76ers are sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 49-23.

Nikola Jokic

Jokic is another player who is unstoppable in the paint. At 6”11 and 284lbs, once he drives in it’s almost a guaranteed two points. Jokic averaged 26 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Jokic with the help of Jamal Murray secured the third seed for the Nuggets in the Western Conference.