NBA Season and Playoffs

photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Over the last month, the NBA has stirred up a pot that nobody could handle. Joel Embiid finally getting his MVP award, player drama, and most importantly, Playoff Basketball. Upsets, Game 7’s, Sweeps, everything. 
by Drew Caraway

photo by Derik Hamilton / AP

Joel “E-MVP-iid”
During Joel Embiid’s nine year NBA career, he has had many ups and downs. Joel Embiid was drafted in 2014 as the 3rd overall pick after playing one year (2013-2014 season) at the University of Kansas. Unfortunately, Embiid missed his first two years in the NBA with a foot injury. At 22 years old, Embiid made his NBA debut three years after being drafted. Embiid put up 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks for the 76ers. The team fell in a 103-97 loss to Russell Westbrook’s Oklahoma City Thunder. Since the 2017-2018 season, Embiid has been an All-Star in six straight years. In 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, Embiid won the NBA Scoring Title, the award given to the player who averages the most points per game in a season. He was also a 4x All-NBA nominee, and a 3x All-Defensive nominee. While he won his 1st MVP award this year, he still hasn’t gotten the covenant award that every player dreams of having since their childhood… an NBA Championship ring

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​NBA Playoffs
First Round
Western Conference

• #1 Seeded Denver Nuggets (DEN) beat the #8 Seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (MIN) 4-1
• #2 Seeded Memphis Grizzlies (MEM) lose to the #7 Seeded Los Angeles Lakers (LAL) 4-2
• #3 Seeded Sacramento Kings (SAC) lose to the #6 Seeded Golden State Warriors (GSW) 4-3
• #4 Seeded Phoenix Suns (PHX) beat the #5 Seeded Los Angeles Clippers (LAC) 4-1

Eastern Conference

• #1 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks (MIL) lose to the #8 Seeded Miami Heat (MIA) 4-1
• #2 Seeded Boston Celtics (BOS) beat the #7 Seeded Atlanta Hawks (ATL) 4-2
• #3 Seeded Philadelphia 76ers (PHI) beat the #6 Seeded Brooklyn Nets (BKN)  4-0
• #4 Seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (CLE) lose to the #5 Seeded New York Knicks (NYK) 4-1

​NBA Awards
MVP
Joel Embiid (C) - 31.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.7 BPG, 1.0 SPG
ROTY
Paolo Banchero (PF) - 20.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.5 BPG, 0.8 SPG
DPOTY
Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF) - 18.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 3.0 BPG, 1.0 SPG
6MOTY
Malcolm Brogdon (PG/SG) - 14.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.3 BPG, 0.7 BPG
MIPOTY
Lauri Markkanen (PF/SF) - 25.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.6 BPG, 0.6 SPG
COTY
Mike Brown - Sacramento Kings (Led team to first playoff series since 2006, led team to 48-34 record, won Pacific Division)

Who Will Win The ‘Chip?
Eight teams remain, but only one team can win the coveted Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, AKA the NBA Championship. According to Fox Sports, the Boston Celtics have the best odds to win the Championship, with the reigning Champ Golden State Warriors right behind them (as of 5/1/23).

• Boston Celtics +125
• Golden State Warriors +450
• Denver Nuggets +600
• Phoenix Suns +600
• Los Angeles Lakers +700
• Philadelphia 76ers +1100
• Miami Heat +2000
• New York Knicks +2200

​The current Playoff race is the only one in NBA history that all seeds 1-8 have moved on. No duplicate seeds. Fairly impressive. Fans should be ecstatic with how the Playoffs have turned out thus far. The Finals could very well shock everyone. But for now, they must wait.