NBA MVP Power Rankings: Joel Embiid drops, a new No. 1 emerges
By Jaren Boslow
![Jan 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past Jan 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6935,h_3900,x_0,y_85/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/83/01hkh6njdtt280185p0n.jpg)
2. Joel Embiid
Last week's rank: 1
For the first time in over a month, Joel Embiid will lose his spot atop the rankings due to several injuries and Philadelphia losses.
After a four-game absence, Embiid finally suited up for the Sixers on Tuesday. Playing the Chicago Bulls would be a good time for a bounce-back game, and that's exactly what Embiid did. He would go on to have his seventh career triple-double and would be just the second Sixer to have a 30-15-10 stat line. Wilt Chamberlin is the only other player in Philadelphia history to have that stat line.
Since Embiid's historic performance, the Sixers would play yet another game against the New York Knicks. Embiid would drop a game-high 30 points, but it wouldn't amount to much as they would get trampled by the Knicks on national TV.
The Sixers have now fallen to a 3-4 record in their last seven games. If Philadelphia expects to compete with the best in the league, they will need to clean up their most recent skid. The Sixers should have some winnable games ahead of them, but they could be without Embiid once again as he missed their recent game against the Jazz.
Philadelphia fans shouldn't be alarmed, as this could be a mid-season slump. The Sixers will have a chance to redeem themselves, as they are currently on a four-day rest. They will draw a tough matchup on Friday against the Sacramento Kings on ESPN.