As we get nearer to Thanksgiving and the vacation season, not a lot has modified in relation to hierarchy within the race for the NBA MVP title. Nikola Jokic And Jayson Tatum proceed to combat on the prime of the rankings, and Anthony Davis stays within the prime 5 within the rankings as a consequence of his two-way play for the Los Angeles Lakers. However the one title neglected within the MVP race coming into this NBA season as a consequence of his crew’s early struggles is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
After profitable back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, Antetokounmpo has virtually been an afterthought to voters in recent times. Though he has been criticized for the crew’s playoff failures, Giannis has been nothing in need of spectacular over time.
He is averaged back-to-back seasons of at the least 30 factors and 10 rebounds, and what he is doing this season is outstanding. The Milwaukee Bucks began the 12 months 2-8, which had everybody pointing the finger at Antetokounmpo. Though he acquired off to a historic begin, Giannis took the criticism and led the Bucks to 6 wins of their final seven video games, together with 4 in a row. To not point out, the Bucks star leads the league with 32.4 factors per sport.
It is nonetheless very early within the season. There’s nonetheless a whole lot of basketball left to be performed, and the NBA Cup will certainly affect who strikes up and down within the NBA MVP rankings sooner or later.
Nonetheless, Giannis deserves consideration on this race for what he does and what he was in a position to do to show issues round after a feared begin in Milwaukee. On the similar time, it is nonetheless Jokic’s race to lose at this level.
Earlier 2023-24 NBA MVP rankings: Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Earlier rating: #1
2024-25 season stats: 12 video games, 30.3 factors, 13.9 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 56.8 FG%, 56.3 3P%
Jokic missed three straight video games as a result of delivery of his second youngster. The Denver Nuggets went 1-2 with out their three-time MVP on the courtroom, and this crew appeared extraordinarily misplaced on the offensive aspect of the ball. Then, Jokic returned for Friday’s NBA Cup sport in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks and dropped 33 factors, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a 123-120 loss. One other triple-double for Jokic was adopted by a near-triple-double with 34 factors, 13 rebounds and eight assists in a 127-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
What’s outstanding about Jokic is that as the remainder of the league’s averages and numbers start to stability out with the variety of video games performed, his numbers steadily enhance every time he steps onto the sphere. floor. Jokic is averaging a career-high 30.3 factors per sport, a career-high 11.3 assists per sport, and he leads the league in rebounding with 13.9 rebounds per sport. Maybe probably the most spectacular metric by which Jokic leads the league is three-point capturing at 56.3 p.c (min. 40 pictures).
Irrespective of the way you take a look at it proper now, Jokic is the clear favourite for his fourth MVP award within the final 5 seasons.
2. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Earlier rating: #2
2024-25 season stats: 17 video games, 28.9 factors, 8.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 45.0 FG%, 37.4 3P%
Tatum continues to dominate on either side of the basketball for the Boston Celtics. At 14-3 this season, the The Celtics are nonetheless on the prime of the league standings, and Tatum has been the driving pressure behind their top-ranked offense. Once you examine his numbers to the remainder of the league, the Celtics star ranks sixth in scoring, third in complete factors scored and tied for second in video games with 30 factors with Anthony Davis at 9 video games complete. Solely Giannis and LaMelo Ball have extra at 10 video games with at the least 30 factors.
The most important factor that stands out about Tatum’s season to date is that he is placing up triple-double kind numbers in Boston. Over his final six video games, Tatum has averaged 25.8 factors, 9.2 rebounds and seven.7 assists per sport whereas capturing 42.2 p.c from the ground. Though his capturing effectivity has declined barely in current video games, Tatum continues to seek out different methods to affect the Celtics’ victory. It is also value mentioning that Tatum leads the Celtics in particular person defensive ranking.
The 26-year-old star continues to become a whole participant in Boston, and he finds himself because the participant probably to dethrone Jokic in these MVP rankings.
3. Anthony Davis – Los Angeles Lakers
Earlier rating: #3
2024-25 season stats: 15 video games, 30.1 factors, 11.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.3 steals, 55.6 FG%, 40.6 3P%
Over a complete of three video games final week, Anthony Davis averaged 26.3 factors, 11.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per sport whereas capturing 53.6% from the ground. Whereas this is not the perfect week we have seen from Davis to date this season, he nonetheless leads the league with Jokic by way of being probably the most dominant large man within the NBA.
Davis is at the moment fourth in scoring and seventh in rebounding, in addition to tied for fifth in blocks per sport. Whether or not you take a look at his offensive or defensive numbers, it is clear to see the place Davis is leaving his mark on the courtroom for the Los Angeles Lakers. His current efficiency of 39 factors and 9 rebounds in opposition to the Orlando Magic is additional proof that he’s having the perfect season of his profession.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Earlier rating: Unclassified
2024-25 season stats: 16 video games, 32.4 factors, 11.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, 60.8 FG%
The one cause Giannis wasn’t ranked within the NBA MVP rankings final week was as a result of the Bucks have been on the backside of the Jap Convention standings. That is not the case, as Antetokounmpo has led Milwaukee to 4 straight wins, and they’re now simply 2.5 video games behind the Magic for third place within the standings. It is laborious to think about the Bucks with the ability to catch Tatum’s Cleveland Cavaliers or Celtics, however touchdown third or fourth place is actually inside attain proper now.
Final week was arguably Giannis’ greatest week of the season, and he was named the perfect Jap Convention Participant of the Week because of averaging 32.5 factors, 10.8 rebounds and seven.3 assists per sport within the Bucks’ 4 victories. If he continues like this, he’ll overtake Davis for third place on this record and compete for the lead with Jokic and Tatum.
Then once more, profitable issues within the MVP race, and Milwaukee might want to proceed to enhance for Giannis to have an opportunity at his third MVP award.
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Earlier rating: #4
2024-25 season stats: 16 video games, 28.7 factors, 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.1 blocks, 50.0 FG%, 33.7 3P%
Alongside the Golden State Warriors, on the prime of the Western Convention standings is the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. As soon as once more, Mark Daigneault’s group reveals a ton of resilience and combativeness, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the heart of all their success. What makes this season even higher for Gilgeous-Alexander in relation to the NBA MVP race is that he leads the Thunder to the perfect report in a stacked Western Convention regardless of Chet Holmgren out indefinitely with pelvic fracture.
This harm to Holmgren has compelled Gilgeous-Alexander to alter his offensive method and discover new methods to get others concerned as a result of he would not have the sturdy pick-and-roll sport together with his large man to depend on. Since Holmgren was injured, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 33.0 factors, 6.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds and a couple of.5 steals per sport whereas capturing 51.9 p.c from the ground. Only a few guards are able to scoring as a lot because the Thunder star whereas capturing over 50% from the ground.
It is not laborious to argue that Gilgeous-Alexander is the perfect two-way guard within the NBA proper now.
Simply lacking the lower
6. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers (Ranked #5 final week)
7. Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns (ranked #8 final week)
8. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves (ranked #6 final week)
9. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers (Ranked #7 final week)
10. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks (Ranked #9 final week)
