Kia MVP Ladder: Joel Embiid reinforces his No. 1 case in victory over Jazz

Call it a perfect timing for Joel Embiid, who continues to live up to his Kia Race earnings for this week’s MVP Ladder going for the NBA All-Star holiday.

“I want to dominate,” he said.

That’s precisely what Embiid did by dropping a 40-piece piece with 19 rebounds on Wednesday while cooking up former NBA Kia defender of the year Rudy Gobert and Utah Jazz to keep the 76ers at the top of the standings of the Eastern Conference on 24-12.

“These are the fights you want to go out there and just dominate and prove to everyone that, as a team, we have a great team and, individually, you must be up there when it comes to those ratings and stuff.”

Well, Embiid definitely qualifies “up there” going into the All-Star range, while Nikola Jokic moves to No. 2, LeBron James drops to third place, Damian Lillard moves up to fourth place and Luka Doncic finally breaks the top five.

Jokic has helped Nuggets achieve four consecutive victories since the publication of last week’s Kia Race to the MVP Ladder, with a triple-double average (28.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 10.2 apg) in that period. Doncic, meanwhile, has averaged almost a triple-double (30 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 8.0 apg) in the last two games, taking Dallas to nine wins in their last 11 games.

As for James, the 36-year-old played a key role in guiding the Lakers back on track after a four-game skid. However, after winning two consecutive victories, Los Angeles has already dropped in two consecutive contests, with the four-time Kia MVP losing on Wednesday to Sacramento due to an ankle pain.

James Harden also opens some positions.

The 2018 MVP racked up its eighth triple-double on Wednesday during a meeting in Houston to accompany Brooklyn in achieving victory # 10 in the last 11 Nets competitions.

And now, this week’s Top 5 in the 2020-21 Kia Race for the MVP Ladder:

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1. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Last week’s ranking: No. 1

Season statistics: 30.2 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.4 bpg, 1.2 spg

Embiid has the right idea here. “I always come back to the same thing: you can’t be in these conversations without winning,” he said. “At the moment, we are winning, we are the first in the East, we beat the best team in the league.” Embiid worked Jazz on Wednesday at the pace of the 76ers, surpassing them by 64-44 in painting in a game that lost by up to 13 points. Embiid has scored 40 or more in two of his last three games. Philadelphia has a 6-1 record this season, when Embiid scores 38 or more.

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2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Last week’s standings: No. 3

Season statistics: 27.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 8.6 apg, 1.6 spg

By helping the Nuggets win their third straight in a row on Tuesday, Jokic produced his^º triple-double and ninth career of the season, surpassing the Milwaukee Bucks by 56-32 in painting. Jokic narrowly failed to score two 30-point doubles in a consecutive set against Chicago and Milwaukee, losing the triple-doubles against the Bulls by an assist. In addition, he had only two assists from three direct triple-double in a win against the Indiana Pacers, losing two assists less than one in that game. Jokic and Wilt Chamberlain are the only centers in NBA history to count 50 or more doubles over a career.

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3. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

Last week’s rating: No. 2

Season statistics: 25.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 7.8 apg, 1.1 spg

He set up his eighth game this season with more than 30 points, more than five rebounds and more than four assists on Tuesday in a loss to the Phoenix Suns, before missing out on Wednesday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings due to an ankle pain. It was the first game that James lost in the entire season. The All-Star break comes at the right time for James, who was forced to take the Lakers in the absence of Anthony Davis. Davis hasn’t played since Valentine’s Day due to a calf strain and Achilles tendinosis, but he looks set to return.

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4. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Last week’s rating: No. 5

Season statistics: 29.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 8.0 apg, 1.0 spg

Kent Bazemore didn’t stand a chance here, but that’s the case with most defenders facing Lillard. He scored 22 points on Wednesday in Portland’s 108-106 victory over Golden State, and then hit Sacramento 44 for the following night in a 123-119 victory. He averaged 31 ppg and 7.5 pg in his last four games, helping Portland to go 3-1 during that period. We still need to see more. Portland is 6-8 against teams that are .500 or better and 15-6 against teams that are below .500.

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5. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Last week’s standings: No. 7

Season statistics: 28.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 9.0 apg, 1.0 spg

The tightening in the lower back forced Doncic to miss his second game of the season on Wednesday when Dallas defeated Oklahoma City, but the truce may have been much needed given the way he carried the Mavericks throughout the season. If you’re watching Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, don’t worry about Doncic out. Coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday’s absence should not affect the availability of the All-Star holder. Carlisle expects Doncic to participate. Doncic is also scheduled to compete in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge alongside Chris Paul, Julius Randle, Domantas Sabonis, Robert Covington and Nikola Vučević.

Do you have ideas about the Kia MVP chase? Talk to me by email or tweet me!

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The next five

6. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

7. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

8. James Harden, Brooklyn Nets

9. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers

10. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

And five more: Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets; Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns; Paul George, LA Clippers; Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls; Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets.

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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can email him on here, find his file on here and follow him Twitter.

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting