Who is the best center in the league today?
Today the NBA officially announced the 2022 All-Star Game starting list. The east-west centre forward position is played by Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.
The former is the defending MVP, averaging close to triple-doubles per season, and he is likely to be a favourite for MVP again this year. The latter, a player who has been named to the All-Star five times (including this year) and the All-Team three times, is one of the most offensively capable men in NBA history.
Looking back at the history of the NBA, it's hard to see big players like Embiid with efficient three-pointers and mid-range. He's easily a top-ten player in the world, and he's dominated the MVP competition, especially when he scored 50 points in 27 minutes against the Orlando Magic.
But is Joel Embiid more talented or well-rounded than defending MVP Nikolai Jokic?
To quell the debate, it's time to compare the two big men and see who's the winner.
Scoring – Joel Embiid wins
Nikola Jokic shot 36.3 percent from three-point range and 79.3 percent from the free throw line this year. He was very efficient on the court, shooting 57.3 percent from the field. Jokic is also very skilled in the low position, and in terms of his stature, although a little fat, he can quickly turn around and get close to the basket, and is a flexible fat man. It is almost unstoppable in a one-on-one situation.
Embiid has averaged 28.7 points per game this season and shot 49.8 percent from the field. He shot 81.5 percent from the free throw line and 39.0 percent from three-point range. Surprisingly, Embiid, with his size, was able to throw a lot of wonderful good balls from the outside, and everything looked natural. The big man is also very skilled at the low post, and arguably no defender in the league can handle him at the low post. And because he was able to score a lot of points in a very short period of time with very little effort, he had a slight advantage over Jokic.
Movement speed – Joel Embiid wins
Nikola Jokic, despite his size, was surprisingly quick in consciousness, often leading the Nuggets to fight back once he grabbed a defensive rebound. He has solid steps and can get where he needs to be at the right time, which is impressive for a man who is 213cm tall and weighs 113.4kg.
Embiid is a big genius, he and "Joe Teacher" have the same height and weight, but when facing defenders, he has a certain explosive power, loves to run on the field, moves fast, and rarely falls behind when he plays fast at the same time as the team defender. The Cameroonian star has already scored a number of great goals in the game and he will continue to add in the future.
Defensive – Joel Embiid wins
Nikola Jokic is mainly known for his excellent shooting ability and passing ability, but his defense is also an important factor in his performance on the field. The Serbian has averaged 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game this season, and thanks to Jokic's height and basketball IQ, he has been able to become a solid defender who can protect the basket very well. So, there's a reason for the defending MVP.
But it may be slightly weaker than Embiid's defense. This season his 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocks are consistent. It's clear that Embiid is better at capping than Jokic, which has to do with his athleticism. Embiid is unlikely to be fooled by fake moves when it comes to one-on-one defense, which is why he can be one of the best all-around defenders in the league.
Leadership – Jokic wins
Jokic and Embiid are both the best players in the team and everything they do sets the tone for everyone else. Jokic is not the kind of outspoken leader who leads by example, which is often the case for overseas players. He also has a relaxed attitude, which means he is sometimes mistaken for a lack of killer instincts. But that's just his nature, it shouldn't be a blow to him.
Joel Embiid is certainly more outspoken, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's a better leader than Jokic. In the Ben Simmons incident, he didn't do a very good job of team unity, slightly inferior to Jokic improving his teammates' performances every game.
Basketball IQ – Jokic wins
When it comes to basketball IQ, Jokic is probably one of the smartest players in NBA history. At the centre position, there are no better passers than Jokic at the moment, which is reflected in the datasheet. So far, he has averaged at least seven assists per game for five consecutive seasons, reaching a career-high 8.3 assists last year. Arguably he's the smartest player in the league today besides LeBron James and Chris Paul.
We all know Joel Embiid is a good scorer and defender who has improved his passing ability over the years. The Cameroonian averaged a career-high 4.3 assists per game this season and, in the absence of Ben Simmons, took on the responsibility of making those around him better. But Jokic's unprecedented passing skills were the main factors in winning in this area.
Influence – Jokic wins
This is the hardest to measure, as both superstars have played at a very high level this season. Jokic's performance at this stage of the season was ahead of the MVP season, and he influenced every aspect of the game, whether it was shooting, scoring, passing or defending. Without Jokic, the Nuggets wouldn't be in the top eight of the West.
Embiid is also clearly one of the most influential players in the league, especially on the offensive end. But Embiid doesn't pass the ball like "Mr. Yo", which means he has to rely on others to make a wedding dress for him, and Jokic has rebounded higher than Embiid this season.
Final score: Nikola Jokic 3-3 Joel Embiid
Jokic and Embiid are two data fillers who dominate the game in their own way. Jokic is the Nuggets' possession center who has done everything for the team, while Embiid is Philadelphia's scorer and defensive gatekeeper. The two play different roles in the team, so choosing between them is a matter of preference. But one thing is certain, that is, the career of "About Teacher" will be better than that of "The Great".
If they can stay healthy, both should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But Jokic has achieved an amazing achievement, and that is the MVP, which is not easy for the center of modern competition. Jokic is the first center to win the MVP award since Shaquille O'Neal, and he is likely to continue to defend his title this year.
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