Typically, the NBA MVP race is no country for big men.

With offensive efficiency and pace on the rise over the past decade, MVP ballots have been dominated by three-point marksmen, perimeter scorers and point forwards. The last time a player who was officially listed as a center won the award was Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. Not since Dwight Howard in 2011 has a center received a first-place vote.

But the 2021 MVP race is shaping up to be more intriguing than some recent runaways thanks to a pair of supersized candidates. With the season roughly one-quarter over, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic have emerged alongside Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James as leading contenders. Embiid and Jokic share numerous MVP qualities: They have led their teams to strong starts, they have reached new heights statistically, and they have helped adapt the center’s role in the modern, perimeter-oriented game.

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Philadelphia has rebounded quickly from a disastrous first-round playoff exit in the bubble thanks to a new team president, a new coach, a new starting lineup and, most importantly, a new vigor from the 26-year-old Embiid, who is averaging a career-high 27.7 points to go with 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 blocks. The 7-footer labored at times during the playoffs, settling for low-percentage shots, making unforced turnovers and appearing tired as games unfolded. This season, Embiid’s energy has been better and his superb shooting — 54.6 percent overall, 40 percent on three-pointers and 83.4 percent on free throws — would make plenty of guards jealous.

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After replacing coach Brett Brown with Doc Rivers and shipping out Al Horford and Josh Richardson in trades, the 76ers have raced out of the gate to claim the East’s best record (14-6) and second-best defense. Basking in the good vibes, Embiid said Wednesday that he believes he and teammates Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris “all deserve a chance” to be named all-stars because “we’ve all been consistent” and “we’re winning and we’re doing it as a group.”

Although the 76ers have benefited from a home-heavy and relatively easy schedule, Embiid has thrived with better spacing around him and taken care of business when it counts. Embiid outplayed Anthony Davis on Wednesday to finish with 28 points, six rebounds and four assists in a signature win over the Lakers. The last-second victory moved the 76ers to 8-1 in games that were within five points in the final five minutes, and the only loss came in a game that Embiid missed. Indeed, the 76ers are 0-4 without Embiid this season, making it clear that he has been the primary engine of their early success.

“The general diversity of his offensive game [has improved],” 76ers President Daryl Morey told The Washington Post, praising Embiid’s rigorous offseason work. “He has developed a recognition in winning time of what will be the best option depending on his matchup and how the other team is guarding him. He can score with his back to the basket, take the open three, face up and attack or get doubled and make the right pass. Doc has been fantastic at helping him get the ball in great spots with an advantage. Plus, he’s the best defensive big man in the game. That equals MVP.”

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If there’s any center who boasts greater offensive versatility than Embiid, it is Jokic. The 25-year-old Serb is averaging 25.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.9 assists — all career highs. If he maintains his current pace, the 6-11 Jokic would surpass Wilt Chamberlain’s center record of 8.6 assists per game, set in 1967-68. Jokic’s points, rebounds and assists averages haven’t been matched by any player since Oscar Robertson, a 6-5 guard, in 1961-62. No wonder guard Monte Morris recently sought out his soft-spoken center to remind him that he was a “Hall of Famer,” even if he receives less national acclaim than James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Monte Morris on Nikola Jokic: “Like I told him two, three games ago after the game. I just said, ‘Everybody talking about the Durants and LeBrons, Giannises. We’re playing with a Hall of Famer right here.’ I just wanted him to know that.”

Like Embiid, Jokic’s improved efficiency and impact can be attributed to better conditioning and a slimmed-down frame. At this stage of his career, Jokic is a full-blown point center: He regularly brings the ball up the court, and he ranks first leaguewide in touches per game, second in passes per game, fourth in assists per game and fourth in points per game created by his assists. James might be the only player in the league who exerts greater control over his team than Jokic, who ranks first in player efficiency rating and win shares, two popular advanced statistics.

Social media discussion about Jokic tends to focus on his wide array of no-look, soft-touch and cross-court passes, but his true value shines through in his late-game reliability. During Denver’s unexpected run to the Western Conference finals last season, he proved he could win games in plenty of ways. A crafty post scorer who can hit tough turnarounds, step out to launch three-pointers and play quarterback from the high post, Jokic ranks second in points and tied for fourth in assists in clutch situations.

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Despite Jamal Murray’s uneven start, Jerami Grant’s free agency departure and Michael Porter Jr.’s long-term absence because of the NBA’s coronavirus protocol, the Nuggets rank third in offensive efficiency and fifth in point differential thanks to Jokic’s one-man army effort. Denver (11-8) was on a five-game winning streak entering Friday, displaying improved defense after a rough start on that end in December.

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“[Jokic is] playing at an MVP level,” Nuggets Coach Michael Malone said after a Jan. 19 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, praising his pass-first center’s willingness to call his own number when facing single coverage. “Sometimes I get frustrated because I don’t think we give him the ball enough, especially when he’s being guarded one-on-one. He’s always going to take what the defense gives him, but he is being a lot more aggressive, which is what we need from him.”

Embiid has never finished higher than seventh in MVP voting, and Jokic topped out at fourth in 2019. Both are on track to do better than that this season, which could help fuel an entertaining race that should also include James, Durant, Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

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Since Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Leonard waged a fierce battle in 2017, media voters have seemed to rally around early MVP favorites, leading to anticlimactic selections. Last year, the MVP debate didn’t really materialize until after Antetokounmpo was announced as the winner over James. With two worthy centers vying for consideration, this year’s conversation won’t be ending anytime soon.

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