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SPORTS Tuesday 18 december 2018

East features MVP candidates even with LeBron in the West

By SCHUYLER DIXON declared about the East's for those big guys to get
AP Sports Writer MVP hopes. in the mix, but I think Joel,
With eight shopping days "We missed Kawhi last he'll make his mark," Pierce
to Christmas, the NBA's de- year and the people that said. "He's got to be if not
cision to have Milwaukee's coached against him didn't an MVP, a defensive player
Giannis Antetokounmpo for a reason," said Pierce, of the year candidate, first-
and Philadelphia's Joel Em- who was an assistant with team all-defensive player
biid in its holiday lineup is the 76ers for Embiid's first this year."
more than just sides in an- two seasons. "He's a domi- If Antetokounmpo can get
other hoop smorgasbord. nant two-way player. Ante- his 26.6-point scoring aver-
It puts the spotlight on — tokounmpo is unbelievable age back to 27, he has a
and raises a question — and his growth continues chance to be the first to
about the MVP race, as in, to rise every game, every average that many points
who in the Eastern Confer- year." along with at least 13 re-
ence is a legitimate con- The "Greek Freak" opens the bounds and six assists per
tender. It's a question be- Christmas lineup a week game. The Bucks star is
cause the last East MVP, from Tuesday with a visit to eighth in scoring and fifth in
LeBron James going on Madison Square Garden to rebounding.
six years ago, has moved face the Knicks, and Embiid "He's doing things I think
West. will play at East rival Boston. LeBron's doing," Indiana In this Dec. 9, 2018, file photo, Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi
Leonard (2) puts pressure on Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis
Of course, the conversa- Leonard and the Raptors coach Nate McMillan said. Antetokounmpo (34) as he looks for the pass during second half
tion has to include the big- don't play Dec. 25. "He's a forward playing the NBA basketball action in Toronto.
gest name to go the op- The 7-foot Embiid is sixth in point. He's an excellent Associated Press
posite direction this past scoring, third in rebounding passer, a willing passer, he
offseason: Toronto's Kawhi and eighth in blocks with pushes the ball in transition. ing all but nine games of his of the most interesting can-
Leonard, who forced his the Sixers sitting fourth in the He can score. He's assisting, final season with the Spurs didates," Raptors coach
way out of San Antonio in a East going into Sunday's he's rebounding." because of the leg injury. Nick Nurse said. "His domi-
trade after missing most of games. Another West star, Leonard has missed games "Khawi is certainly an MVP- nance at times on that
last season with a mysteri- New Orleans' Anthony Da- with foot and hip injuries, caliber player and I keep end of the floor, along with
ous leg injury. vis, is the other player in the along with the occasional saying that because of dropping in 25-30 points,
"Oh yeah," first-year At- top eight in those three cat- rest on the second night of how good he is at the de- makes him a two-way inter-
lanta coach Lloyd Pierce egories. "It's a little tougher a back-to-back after miss- fensive end makes him one esting candidate."q