Even if Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid played against fellow MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets Monday night, Doc Rivers says it wouldn’t have changed the worst aspect of this year’s award season — the discourse.

“I’m just so sick of it,” Rivers said at Ball Arena. “It’s like we can’t celebrate people.”

Rivers’ message from a 116-111 loss to the Nuggets is not an uncommon one. It’s something Rivers has said multiple times in recent weeks and echoes the belief of Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

Rivers is one of the winningest coaches in NBA history. The Embiid-Jokic MVP debate now has raged on for three straight seasons.

“We’ve got Joel Embiid and (Jokic), two centers in a non-center league, dominating the league,” Rivers said. “We’ve got Giannis — we don’t know what he is, he’s just one of the best players in the league. Jayson Tatum is unbelievable. You just keep going. I really believe this is the best the league’s been in a long time.”

Rivers, of course, has and will continue to vouch for Embiid to win his first MVP award, but the Sixers coach is going out of his way to not discredit Jokic in the process.

“You can like ‘em all,” Rivers said. “You can actually not like one because you love the other one, but you don’t have to hate on anybody. I think we just need to get back to judging whatever your flavor is. That doesn’t mean you have to hate the other one.”

Nuggets fans may not watch Embiid often, but there’s a reason he’s currently the betting favorite to win the award. He’s leading the league in scoring for the second straight season, and if he wins another scoring title, he’d be the first center to win back-to-back since the ’70s.

What’s been different about Embiid, the former Kansas standout, isn’t on the stat sheet.

“His leadership has been very good, honestly,” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey told The Denver Gazette. “He’s been very vocal, very high on communication just with the staff and the players as well. I feel like he’s demanding. He plays with greatness every night, and I think we have to bring the same level as his teammates.”

It’s also no secret the MVP award is important to Embiid.

“I respect that,” said Maxey, who had a game-high 29 points Monday night. “I think he’s passionate about winning. I think that’s what he goes into every game and tries to do. We’ve been appreciative of him for that this year because he goes out there and competes as hard as he can whenever he can.”