Who deserves the VMY and who do you trust the most?

Not being rivals per se Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are engaged in another ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ season. Perhaps better than last season, when the Denver Nuggets center beat out his Philadelphia 76ers counterpart for the MVP award to become the first center to win the MVP since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.

With the majority of the season already in the books, the center duo is once again on track to battle for the award, outlasting players like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, who started out in front in the race only to fall by the wayside (due to injury or subpar performance). Outside of spectacular Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant or former two-time winner Giannis Antetokounmpo of the champion Milwaukee Bucks, the award looks like it will end up with either Jokic or Embiid.

Embiid battles for the scoring title with Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, looking to become the first center to be the NBA’s top scorer since O’Neal in 2000, the same year the Hall of Famer won his only Most Valuable Award. He also kept Philadelphia firmly among the East’s best and in contention for home-court advantage in the playoffs despite the drama caused by Ben Simmons, before the trade that brought James Harden to the 76ers.

Jokic, like Embiid, has kept Denver’s season afloat with Jamal Murray recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season, and Michael Porter Jr. playing in just nine games before undergoing back surgery. Without them, Jokic is neck-and-neck with Antetokounmpo for the highest single-season player efficiency rating, averaging 26.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game on 57.3% shooting from the field and 34.9% from three-point range.

Both Embiid and Jokic deserve credit for bringing the 5 position back to prominence after so many years since the game moved from inside to outside, with an emphasis on wings and perimeter play that left centers in no man’s land…literally. However, until one of the two wins a title, the return of the 5 is not complete.

But we won’t know that for a few months. In the meantime, heading into Monday’s game between the Nuggets and 76ers (7:30 p.m ET, ESPN3), we offer a breakdown of Jokic and Embiid, starting with the competition for the top individual award in the NBA.

Who do you pick this season?

I’d go with Jokic, without hesitation. The Denver star has put his Nuggets at the championship level almost single-handedly, despite suffering injury, after injury. They’ve gone most of the season without their second and third best players and Jokic never seems to turn back.

The fatigue of playing almost single-handedly lowered his production the last two games, which resulted in losses for Denver and still put up numbers that most would like to see in their best games, with double-doubles. Before that, in three consecutive wins against New Orleans, Golden State and Sacramento he combined for 116 points, 45 rebounds and 31 assists; something no one had ever accomplished in the NBA, much less in three games in four days and with the core of the team injured. I’m going with Jokic against anyone until the end of the season.

Who deserves the MVP more?
The reality is that there isn’t much separating Embiid and Jokic in terms of numbers or stories this season; the cases for both are solid under any line. Jokic and the Nuggets face more 1-10 competition in the West, but Embiid’s Sixers’ journey to the top of an East that is strong at the top is more turbulent.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two is the ‘dominant’ factor, an adjective historically associated in the NBA with O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain. Embiid looks like the more dominant player this season, his health has allowed him to be at (or near) his best, and night in and night out he’s the number one target on the court. And with his partnership with Harden just getting started, we may be yet to see the best of Embiid.

Which one do you trust the most?
They are capable of carrying the weight of the team on their broad backs. Embiid leads the Sixers in three statistical categories: points (29.7), rebounds (11.2) and blocks (1.4). In 30 games, he has scored 30 points or more. Jokic, meanwhile, leads in five categories: points (26.1), rebounds (3.8), assists (8.1), steals (1.3) and blocks (0.8). If the choice were to fall on numbers, the decision would be a tough one.

However, when it comes to trusting one or the other, I choose the Denver pivot. His ability to pass the ball is what tips the scales in his favor. Jokic is perhaps one of the best passing centers in the game. Most of his assists have a strong aesthetic content. A mix of efficiency and beauty that is hard to find these days for a big man. Like combining the passing effectiveness of the legendary Arvydas Sabonis and the beauty of Magic Johnson.

How do you define the modern big man?
Mix in a little Embiid, a little Jokic, some Karl-Anthony Towns and throw in a good dose of Hakeem Olajuwon and Arvydas Sabonis. The ideal big man is always going to need the strength and stature that allows him to do his basic job defensively, grab rebounds and protect the rim.

Offensively, playing more in front of the basket, mastery of good dribbling, passing and shooting fundamentals, having a vision to run the game and possessing a respectable shot from beyond the arc have become fundamental tools of big men.

Can they lead their teams to the promised land?
Absolutely. In Jokic’s case, he is on track to become the first player in history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage. Without Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray, he has the Nuggets in sixth place in the Western Conference. They are an under-the-radar team heading into the playoffs, once all the pieces are in place.

Embiid, meanwhile, can also dominate all facets of the game. His pick and roll with Harden is virtually impossible to stop. A healthy Embiid, is a MVP candidate every year. The big question is whether he can sustain it in the postseason. If he does, he will lead the 76ers to the promised land.