is back for the , and it looks like he's picking up right where he left off after missing 28 games with a knee injury. In his so far, the 76ers both the and , who have very real aspirations of a deep run. With five games left, Embiid and company are just one game behind the for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and the ability to miss the entirely. Before his injury, Embiid was the favorite to win the , but he has missed the requisite 65-game threshold to qualify for the
NBA awards. He narrowly beat for the award last season in a hotly contested MVP race that clearly affected his mental health. After beating the Heat, Embiid that he's "happy" he's not in MVP contention this season. "I'm happy I'm not in the [MVP] conversation. You know, that conversation has been toxic for a long time. But I'll be honest, this year has been kind of boring. This year, there's not enough toxicity going around. It's pretty fun and at some point, it's pretty bad too. I'm glad I'm nowhere near to that." Jokic is the favorite to win the MVP award, his third such honor in four seasons, cementing his legacy as of the generation. Embiid's single award and regular season dominance have also built a compelling case for his . Embiid Has a Lack of Distractions To end the season, most players and coaches would rather spend valuable time preparing for a playoff push. However, the MVP race is one of the hottest events of the year, and the players in the mix have to field questions about the rankings and ladders. Now that Embiid has been released from the pressures of the MVP race, he can focus on getting his eighth-seeded 76ers deep into the postseason and crush the rumors that he is not a playoff performer. Since he entered the league, Philadelphia has not gotten past the second round. Now, with limited distractions, Embiid can focus on the most important part of any sport: winning. "I'm just focused on getting back healthy. Obviously all great candidates, they all deserve to win [MVP], it's just unfortunate that only one person has to win." With five games left to close the gap and avoid the Play-In Tournament, the Sixers will have matchups with four losing teams and only one squad with a winning record. The two teams ahead of them, the seventh-seeded Heat and sixth-seeded Pacers, have a much more challenging schedule. Remaining Schedule @Memphis @Houston Oklahoma City @San Antonio @Indiana Miami Detroit @Atlanta @Toronto Orlando Dallas @Cleveland Brooklyn
Toronto Atlanta n/a Toronto n/a While the 76ers are not expected to make much noise with the and in their conference, if Embiid can return to MVP form in the postseason, the Philadelphia 76ers will be in the conversation to outplay whatever seed they find themselves in.