The 2019-20 NBA season is heading into its final stretch with the debate for who will win MVP really starting to heat up. Giannis Antetokoumpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is currently the frontrunner, and understandably so, he isn't alone in this race for MVP. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James starting to make a strong case to win the award as he's kept his team atop the Western Conference standings for the majority of the season.

Ahead of the Lakers' clash with the Bucks on Friday night, Anthony Davis talked about his teammate's candidacy for MVP and how he believes LeBron deserves the award over Antetokounmpo, via Spectrum SportsNet.

ā€œThings he's able to do on the floor,ā€ Davis said. ā€œHe can shoot the ball. He can pass. He gets everyone involved. He can take over games. I saw Kendrick Perkins say something that he got robbed of four MVPs or something like that, but you guys see when LeBron is off the floor how our team operates. We kind of struggle a little bit with him off the floor.

ā€œI think that this is about who is most valuable to their team and for me being around it this whole season, I think my vote goes to LeBron.ā€

When the Lakers and Bucks go head-to-head on Friday night at the Staples Center, it will be a highly-anticipated showdown between the top-two teams in their respective conferences. Along with the two leading candidates for NBA MVP, this could be an NBA Finals preview with the winner of this matchup having bragging rights for the rest of the season.

Entering Friday's game, LeBron is leading the NBA in assists at 10.7 assists per game while putting up 25.4 points and grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game for the Lakers. Antetokounmpo, however, is fourth in the league in scoring and rebounds. He's averaging 29.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for the Bucks and could be on his way to leading Milwaukee to 70 wins in the regular season.

Along with making a statement with a win over the Bucks on Friday, the Lakers will officially clinch a playoff spot with a victory over Giannis and company. It will be the first time the storied franchise has been postseason bound since the 2012-13 season ending the longest playoff drought in the team's history.