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As we inch closer to Thanksgiving and the holiday season, not much has changed regarding the hierarchy in the race for the NBA's MVP award. Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum continue to battle at the top of the rankings, and Anthony Davis remains inside the top five of the rankings due to his two-way play for the Los Angeles Lakers. But the one name being overlooked in the MVP race early on this NBA season due to his team's early struggles is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
After winning back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, Antetokounmpo has almost been an afterthought for award voters in recent years. Despite receiving criticism for the team's unsuccessful ventures in the postseason, Giannis has been nothing short of spectacular through the years.
He has averaged back-to-back seasons of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, and what he is doing this season is remarkable. The Milwaukee Bucks began the year 2-8, leading to everyone pointing the finger at Antetokounmpo. Even though he was off to a historic start, Giannis took the criticism and has led the Bucks to six wins in their last seven games, including four straight. Not to mention, the Bucks star is leading the league in scoring at 32.4 points per game.
It is still very early in the season. There is a lot of basketball yet to be played, and the NBA Cup will surely influence who moves up and down the NBA MVP rankings moving forward.
However, Giannis deserves attention in this race for what he is doing and what he's been able to do in order to turn things around after a dreaded start in Milwaukee. At the same time, this is still Jokic's race to lose at this juncture.
Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Previous ranking: #1
2024-25 season stats: 12 games, 30.3 points, 13.9 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 56.8 FG%, 56.3 3P%
Jokic missed three straight games due to the birth of his second child. The Denver Nuggets went 1-2 without their three-time MVP on the court, and this team looked extremely lost on the offensive side of the ball. Then Jokic returned for Friday's NBA Cup game against the Dallas Mavericks and dropped 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 123-120 loss. Another triple-double for Jokic was followed up by a near triple-double with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in a statement 127-102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
What is remarkable about Jokic is that as the rest of the league's averages and numbers begin to balance out with the more games they play, his numbers steadily increase every time he takes the court. Jokic is averaging a career-high 30.3 points per game, a career-high 11.3 assists per game, and he is leading the league in rebounding at 13.9 rebounds per game. Perhaps the most impressive metric that Jokic leads the league in is three-point shooting at 56.3 percent (min. 40 shots).
No matter how you look at it right now, Jokic is the clear frontrunner for his fourth MVP award in the last five seasons.
2. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Previous ranking: #2
2024-25 season stats: 17 games, 28.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 45.0 FG%, 37.4 3P%
Tatum continues to dominate on both sides of the basketball for the Boston Celtics. At 14-3 on the season, the Celtics are still right at the top of the league rankings, and Tatum has been the driving force of their top-ranked offense. When you compare his numbers to the rest of the league, the Celtics star ranks sixth in scoring, third in total points scored, and tied for the second-most 30-point games with Anthony Davis at nine total games. Only Giannis and LaMelo Ball have more at 10 games with at least 30 points.
What stands out the most about Tatum's season thus far is that he is putting up triple-double-like numbers in Boston. Over his last six games, Tatum has averaged 25.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor. While his shooting efficiency has dropped slightly in recent games, Tatum continues to find other ways to impact winning for the Celtics. It is also worth talking about the fact that Tatum leads the Celtics in individual defensive rating.
The 26-year-old star continues to grow into a complete player in Boston, and he finds himself as the most likely player to possibly dethrone Jokic in these MVP rankings.
3. Anthony Davis – Los Angeles Lakers
Previous ranking: #3
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2024-25 season stats: 15 games, 30.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.3 steals, 55.6 FG%, 40.6 3P%
In a total of three games this past week, Anthony Davis averaged 26.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the floor. Although this was not the best of weeks we have seen from Davis so far this season, he is still right at the top of the league rankings with Jokic in terms of being the most dominant big man in the NBA.
Davis is currently fourth in scoring and seventh in rebounding, as well as tied for fifth in blocks per game. Whether you look at his offensive or defensive numbers, it's clear to see where Davis is leaving his mark on the court for the Los Angeles Lakers. His recent 39-point, nine-rebound performance against the Orlando Magic is further proof that he is having the best season of his career.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Previous ranking: Unranked
2024-25 season stats: 16 games, 32.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, 60.8 FG%
The only reason why Giannis was unranked in the NBA MVP rankings last week was because the Bucks were near the bottom of the standings in the Eastern Conference. That is no longer the case, as Antetokounmpo has led Milwaukee to four straight wins, and they are now just 2.5 games back of the Magic for third place in the standings. It is hard to imagine that the Bucks can catch either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Tatum's Celtics, but grabbing the third or fourth spot is certainly in striking distance right now.
Last week was arguably the best of the season for Giannis, and he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week as a result of averaging 32.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game in the Bucks' four wins. If he keeps this up, he will pass Davis for third on this list and contend at the top with the likes of Jokic and Tatum.
Then again, winning matters in the MVP race, and Milwaukee will need to continue trending up for Giannis to have a chance at his third MVP award.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Previous ranking: #4
2024-25 season stats: 16 games, 28.7 points, 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.1 blocks, 50.0 FG%, 33.7 3P%
Next to the Golden State Warriors at the top of the Western Conference standings are the Oklahoma City Thunder. Once again, Mark Daigneault's group is showing a ton of resilience and fight, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the center of all of their success. What makes this season even better for Gilgeous-Alexander in regards to the NBA MVP race is that he is leading the Thunder to the best record in a stacked Western Conference despite Chet Holmgren being out indefinitely with a pelvic fracture.
This injury to Holmgren has resulted in Gilgeous-Alexander having to change his approach on offense and find new ways to get others involved since he doesn't have the strong pick-and-roll game with his big man to rely on. Since Holmgren got injured, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 33.0 points, 6.2 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor. Very few guards are able to score at the rate the Thunder star can while also still shooting above 50 percent from the floor.
It is not hard to make the claim that Gilgeous-Alexander is the best two-way guard in the NBA right now.
Just missing the cut
6. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers (Ranked No. 5 last week)
7. Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns (Ranked No. 8 last week)
8. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves (Ranked No. 6 last week)
9. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers (Ranked No. 7 last week)
10. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks (Ranked No. 9 last week)
