By The Numbers: NBA MVP finalists bow out early in playoffs

Published

None of the 2022 NBA MVP finalists remain in the postseason.

The three players in the running for this year's honor were Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (now a back-to-back winner), Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (the back-to-back winner in 2019 and 2020) and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.

MVP is a regular-season award, but that player is often expected to make waves in the postseason. This season, however, that just wasn't the case.

Let's take a look at how the three finalists performed in the playoffs before their teams made an early exit.

Nikola Jokić — Denver Nuggets

5: Nuggets lost in five games to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

31.0: Jokić averaged 31.0 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists against the Warriors.

57.5%: Jokić shot 57.5% from the field, 27.8% from 3-point range and 84.8% from the free-throw line.

3rd: Ranks third in both points per game (31.0) and rebounds per game (13.2) among all players this postseason.

25: Scored 25-plus points in all five games of the Nuggets’ first-round series against Golden State.

4: Recorded four double-doubles in five games.

.438: Now has a .438 career postseason winning percentage (21-27 record).

4: First time in his four career playoff appearances that he and the Nuggets failed to advance out of the first round.

6: With Jokić’s first-round exit, the MVP has now failed to reach the NBA Finals in six straight seasons.

  • 2016-17: Russell Westbrook (Thunder) – Lost in first round
  • 2017-18: James Harden (Rockets) – Lost in Western finals
  • 2018-19: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) – Lost in Eastern finals
  • 2019-20: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) – Lost in Eastern semifinals
  • 2020-21: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) – Lost in Western semifinals
  • 2021-22: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) – Lost in first found

Joel Embiid — Philadelphia 76ers

10: Embiid appeared in 10 games during the 2022 postseason.

23.6: He averaged 23.6 points per game, 10.7 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game.

48.4: Embiid shot 48.4% from the field, 21.2% from 3-point range and 82.0% from the free-throw line.

2: Missed two games after suffering orbital fracture injury in Game 6 of the 76ers’ first-round series against Toronto.

6: Embiid played in six games prior to his injury. He averaged 26.2 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 2.3 APG. He shot 52% from the field and 19% from behind the arc.

4: Embiid played in four games after his injury and his numbers declined. His points dropped to 19.8 per game, his rebounds fell to 9.8 per game and his assists hovered at 1.8 per game. He shot 42.6% from the field and 25% from 3-point range.

8: Recorded eight double-doubles, the second-most of any player through the first two rounds this postseason (behind Antetokounmpo's nine).

3: He recorded three games with 30-plus points, all in the first round against Toronto. 

2nd: Ranks second in free throws made (73) and free-throw attempts (89) this postseason, behind only Antetokounmpo.

0.7: Hit game-winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in overtime of Game 3 of the 76ers’ first-round series against Toronto.

0: Fell to 0-4 in his career in the Eastern Conference semifinals (2018 lost to Boston, 2019 lost to Toronto, 2021 lost to Atlanta).

.500: Now has a .500 career postseason winning percentage at 22-22.

Giannis Antetokounmpo — Milwaukee Bucks

12: Antetokounmpo played in 12 games this postseason.

31.7: He averaged 31.7 PPG, 14.2 RPG and 6.8 RPG. Here is how those numbers rank:

  • First in points per game (31.7)
  • Second in rebounds per game (14.2)
  • Fourth in assists per game (6.8)

49.1: He shot 49.1% FG, 22.0% 3P and 67.9% FT.

9: Recorded nine double-doubles, most of any player so far this postseason.

1: Recorded a triple-double (24 PTS, 13 REB, 12 AST) in Game 1 of Milwaukee’s East semifinals matchup against Boston. He is one of two players to record a triple-double this postseason (Ja Morant).

7: Recorded seven games with 30-plus points, the most of any player so far this postseason.

3: He had three games with 40-plus points, the most of any player so far this postseason.

2: He also had two games with 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds. He is the only player with a 20-20 game this postseason.

2.035: With 2,035 career postseason points, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,692) as the Bucks’ all-time scorer by Game 2 of Milwaukee’s first-round series against Chicago.

1st: In the Bucks’ semifinals series against Boston, he became the first player in NBA history to record 200-plus points, 100-plus rebounds, and 50-plus assists in a single postseason series (237 PTS, 103 REB, 50 AST).