Sixers’ Doc Rivers disappointed Joel Embiid missed out on MVP: ‘This whole analytic-driven society, world is out of control at times ...’

MIAMI — When news that Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić had repeated as the NBA’s MVP hit social media, 76ers players and coaches were disappointed.

They thought the award should have gone to Sixers center Joel Embiid.

“I don’t know if a guy could’ve done more than he did this year, play without the second-best player [Ben Simmons] all year,” coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday morning of Embiid. “Listen, his résumé was great. I’m not taking anything away from Jokić either, because he’s a hell of a player.

» READ MORE: Denver’s Nikola Jokić tops Sixers’ Joel Embiid to win second straight NBA MVP

“I do think this whole analytic-driven society, world is out of control at times with some of the measures that they use. Like, watch the dang game and decide is what I’ve always said.”

A voting panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters determine the winner, and the result was leaked. ESPN said the league is expected to officially announce the winner this week.

Jokić received a lot of attention after he became the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points (2,004), 1,000 rebounds (1,019), and 500 assists (584) in a single season.

He averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists in 74 games. The Nuggets were 46-28 in games he played and just 2-6 in games that he missed.

Embiid averaged 30.6 points and became the first center to win the scoring title since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. He carried the Sixers while Simmons declined to play this season before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10.

In addition to leading the league in scoring, Embiid was fifth in rebounds (11.7) and played in a career-best 68 games.

Embiid helped the Sixers go 51-31, which tied the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks for the second-best record in the conference.

“Obviously, congratulations to Joker,” Sixers forward Georges Niang said. “I think Joel deserved it. But I said before: Now you guys get to see a [ticked-off] Joel for not winning MVP. So you’re welcome.”

The Sixers face the Miami Heat Tuesday night at FTX Arena in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals with the series tied at 2-2. This will mark Embiid’s third game after missing the first two with a concussion and orbital fracture near his right eye.

» READ MORE: The Sixers’ Joel Embiid got robbed of NBA MVP — again. He’s never going to win.

“I feel for him because he worked extremely hard this year,” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey said of Embiid. “He was available as much as possible, which was a lot. … You know I feel for him. But in my heart, he’s our MVP. I think a lot of guys in the NBA have said the same thing.

“But hat’s off to the Joker. He‘s been great.”

Rivers did add that there would been some criticism if Embiid or Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had won.

“Only one could win,” he said, “unfortunately.”