by Jentezen Smith
With nearly 70% of the NBA regular season gone, the MVP race is beginning to narrow down as each candidate leads a playoff push.
There are countless NBA stars shining and leading their teams in pursuit of a championship, but these three are on another level.
MVP candidates Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo not only all have their teams in title contention, but they are dominating the league while doing it.
When factoring in statistics, team standings and recent results, here’s how the MVP race is shaping up.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, guard:
Currently the Thunder sit atop the Western Conference standings at 47-11, winning eight of their last 10 games and SGA is a massive reason why. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds, while shooting 52.3% from the field and 36.4% from three.
He leads the league in points per game and is third in steals, averaging 1.9 per game. Statistically, he is on track to tie Michael Jordan for the most consecutive seasons (three) averaging 30 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field. In fact, Jordan and SGA are the only players in NBA history to do so. On top of this historical statistical pace, the Thunder are 8.5 games ahead of the next best team in the Western Conference. As it sits now, the SGA MVP case is stronger than ever.
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, center:
There is no sleeping on the three-time MVP and NBA champion, Nikola Jokic any year. He’s in the top three in the league in points, assists, rebounds and steals averaged. Jokic is currently averaging 29.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 57.5% from the field and 44.5% from three. Any other year, that stat line would make him the runaway MVP and it’s taking historic play for another player to even stand a chance. Jokic is the best player in the league and it’s not close, but his case for MVP is being stunted by the Nuggets record in comparison to OKC.
Right now, Denver is third in the Western Conference at 38-20, but by winning nine out of their last 10 games, they are closing in on the second seed. If the Nuggets finish in the second seed, Jokic’s MVP case may stand a chance, but as of now it seems the massive record differential is the difference in a super tight MVP race.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, forward:
Giannis is averaging 31 points per game, the second most in the league, along with being top 10 in rebounds averaging 12 per game. Meanwhile, he’s shooting 60.9 percent from the field and averaging 1.2 blocks per game. Statically speaking, Giannis is comparable to SGA and Jokic, but the Bucks lack of domination in the much weaker Eastern Conference is the difference.
The Bucks will comfortably make the playoffs, but at 32-25, they are slotted in the sixth seed, 15.5 games behind first place. Though to be completely fair, Giannis’ injuries have limited him to only appearing in 45 games this season. He’s still having a great year deserving of MVP talk, but his lack of games played has cost Milwaukee in the standings, making him a distant third in the MVP race.
Honorable mentions:
- Jason Tatum, Boston Celtics, forward
- Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers, forward
