All season long, Joel Embiid has been the favorite to win his second consecutive MVP award. However, availability had become a major problem for Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in recent weeks, leading to a level of skepticism that he would fulfill the league's new 65-game requirement for end-of-season awards. Embiid will now be ineligible to win this year's MVP award due to a meniscus injury. This leads to a wide-open race for the NBA MVP award, led by Denver Nuggets two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Oklahoma City Thunder emerging superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander are two of the most durable players this season. Whereas the Nuggets star has missed three games, the young Thunder star has missed just one. This past week, we were expected to be treated to a battle between these two MVP candidates. Unfortunately, Jokic was unable to go for the fourth and final time they will play one another this season.
While Gilgeous-Alexander is a guard and Jokic is a center, they are both their team's respective playmakers and ball-handlers. The Nuggets are only as good as Jokic makes them, and vice versa for the Thunder with Gilgeous-Alexander. On Wednesday night, it was the young guard and Oklahoma City coming out on top with a 105-100 victory, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way with 34 points and five assists against the Jokic-less Nuggets.
“No matter what's going on in the past and the future, all you can do is control the present. We did that tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after defeating the Nuggets. “We took it possession by possession. We gave it everything we had on those possessions and it was enough, and made it rewarding because of it.”
The Thunder have defeated the Nuggets in three of their four meetings this season, giving them the season tiebreaker over the defending champions. Although there is still a lot of basketball yet to be played, the path to Oklahoma City claiming the 1-seed in a loaded Western Conference becomes clearer. With 32 games remaining, the Thunder have the inside track on the Nuggets. This may very well come into play when deciding who wins this year's NBA MVP award.
Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Previous Rankings: #2
2023-24 season stats: 49 games, 26.3 points, 12.2 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 58.7 FG%, 36.2 3P%
With Embiid dropping out of the rankings, Jokic must move into the No. 1 spot in the NBA MVP rankings. At least, that is the case for now.
Jokic sat out this past week's game against the Thunder with back soreness, probably from constantly carrying the Nuggets to win after win. In the very next game against the Blazers, Jokic exploded for 27 points, 22 rebounds, and 12 assists, his league-leading 15th triple-double of the season. This type of performance once again caught the attention of head coach Michael Malone.
“Think about what life was like before Nikola got here,” Malone said after the game, via ClutchPoints' Rachel Strand. “I think people don't do that. ‘Nine years now, well it's always been like that,' no it wasn't. No it wasn't. Don't do that. Don't lie to yourself. What Nikola's done is historical in nature. It's amazing, that's why he's two-time MVP, he's a world champion and NBA Finals MVP.
“Every night his ability to be great for himself, but more importantly his ability to make everyone around him better. And that truly is the definition of greatness.”
Jokic has recorded at least 25 points in 12 straight games, a streak he will be looking to continue against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Previous Rankings: #3
2023-24 season stats: 49 games, 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 54.8 FG%, 35.3 3P%
As much of an impact as Jokic has made on the Nuggets as an organization through the years, just look at what Gilgeous-Alexander has done in a short amount of time with the Thunder. Nobody expected the Thunder to be that great of a team this season, but here they are, currently leading the Western Conference right ahead of the All-Star break. On both ends of the court, Gilgeous-Alexander is a star.
He currently ranks fourth in the league in scoring, first in total points, and trails only Embiid and Jokic in Player Efficiency Rating. Out of all the metrics and advanced statistics used to measure player performance, this is the one that most accurately predicts the league's MVP every single season.
What doesn't show up in stats or the box score every night is Gilgeous-Alexander's leadership. Very few players across the NBA have the ability to be one of the best players in the world while also making those around them better. This is the perfect description of the type of player Shai is. At just 25 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander has turned himself into the best guard in the league and a true MVP candidate. Quite honestly, if the season ended today, he'd have my endorsement for the award over Jokic.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Previous Rankings: #4
2023-24 season stats: 48 games, 31.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 61.3 FG%, 25.6 3P%
What is going on with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks? Since Adrian Griffin was ousted as head coach and Doc Rivers was hired, the Bucks have not found a whole lot of success. Milwaukee looks dysfunctional and disinterested in the season at hand right now. Perhaps the All-Star break is exactly what they need to clear their heads a little bit.
As for Giannis, he has been one of the Bucks' only consistent sources of production, as always. The two-time MVP has recorded back-to-back games with double-digit assists, including a performance with 48 points against the Dallas Mavericks. That was the Bucks' only win last week.
With Embiid out of the picture, Antetokounmpo is the best MVP candidate in the Eastern Conference. Still, the Bucks are going to have to show signs of improvement in the next few weeks in order for Giannis to possibly gain ground on the likes of Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander.
4. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
Previous Rankings: #5
2023-24 season stats: 41 games, 34.8 points, 9.6 assists, 8.6 rebounds, 48.9 FG%, 37.4 3P%
It is kind of crazy to think about Luka Doncic and what he has done this season. While the Dallas Mavericks superstar has missed some games, Luka tends to return with na emphatic 40-point triple-double performance. This is basically what happened in the Mavs' last game against the Bucks, as Doncic returned from a one-game hiatus and recorded 40 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds.
In 41 games, Doncic has had 40 points on 10 different occasions, leading Embiid by one game for the most in the league. He has also recorded 32 games with at least 30 points, trailing Gilgeous-Alexander for the league lead by five games.
The fact that Doncic has scored 40 points in nearly 25 percent of his games this season is ridiculous. While he may play in slow motion at times and not be the most athletic player in the league, Doncic is perhaps the most polished player when it comes to consistently making the right play on offense. If the Mavs had a little bit more talent, they would be the best team in the Western Conference.
5. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Previous Rankings: #6
2023-24 season stats: 47 games, 27.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 47.3 FG%, 37.1 3P%
Jayson Tatum has worked his way into the top five of the NBA MVP rankings, with Embiid out of the running. The Boston Celtics have sat at the top of the Eastern Conference standings for what seems like the entire season. Tatum is the best player on the best team in the league. All of this results in him being in the discussion for the MVP award.
The thing about Tatum that makes him such a great player is that he understands his value to the Celtics. Maybe he could go out every night and do what guys like Doncic and Giannis do offensively, but Boston's star has much better teammates that he can depend on. As a result, Tatum has become a more patient offensive talent, allowing him to focus more attention on his defense.
Boston is currently first in offensive rating and third in defensive rating. Tatum has this franchise on a path to possibly capture their 18th championship in team history.
Just missing the cut
6. Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns (Ranked No. 7 last week)
7. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers (Unranked last week)
8. Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings (Unranked last week)
9. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves (Ranked No. 8 last week)
10. Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers (Ranked No. 9 last week)
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