EFE New York 05/03/2024 Act. at 09:44 CEST
The eliminations of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers This Thursday in the first round of the NBA playoff they leave two recent MVPs out of the ring race como Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
Especially sad has been the case of the Greek titan (MVP in 2019 and 2020), injured in the soleus and has not been able to play a single game of the six in the Bucks series against Tyrese Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers (4-2).
Giannis was a doubt this Thursday until the last minute but finally he could not play with the NBA champion Bucks in 2021, eliminated in the Eastern semifinals in 2022 and who now have two years in a row falling in the first round of the playoff.
Everything pointed to a great pairing of Giannis with Damian Lillard, but the season of the Bucks, who got rid of a mainstay like Jrue Holiday, has been very turbulent with the dismissal of the rookie coach in January Adrian Griffin (30-13 de balance) and the arrival of a Doc Rivers who did not improve the situation (49-33 in the end, third in the East).
Embiid complied but it was not enough
For its part, Embiid did everything possible to play with Philadelphia despite obvious and constant physical problems during his time with the Knicks (4-2): a knee injury, temporary facial paralysis, migraines…
Despite being far from his best level, The 2023 MVP left some spectacular performances against the New Yorkers, such as the 50 points he scored in the third game.
Aside from his undoubted sacrifice and merit, Embiid has not just taken the final step in the Sixerswith whom he has already spent eight seasons and has not yet reached the Eastern final.
These ‘playoffs’ are being especially cruel to the main figures of the league since of the last 15 NBA MVPs only three are still in competition: Nikola Jokic (MVP in 2021 and 2022), Russell Westbrook (2017) and James Harden (2018).
NeverthelessJokic could soon be alone in this sense since the Los Angeles Clippers of Harden and Westbrook They lose 3-2 to the Mavericks and this Friday they will have a life or death game in Dallas.
In addition to Antetokounmpo and Embiid, the other former MVPs who have already gone on vacation this year son LeBron James (MVP 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013), Stephen Curry (MVP 2015 and 2016), Kevin Durant (2014) y Derrick Rose (2011).
2024-05-03 06:16:42
#Embiid #Antetokounmpo #NBA #MVPs #eliminated #opportunity
