How are media voters supposed to pick between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic in the race for the NBA MVP award this season? Both stars have been fantastic, and there isn’t much that separates these two deserving players.
Whereas Gilgeous-Alexander has the scoring numbers and the Oklahoma City Thunder reign supreme at the top of the Western Conference standings, Jokic has been the most valuable player in the league to his team this season.
The Denver Nuggets are 41-23 and very much in the hunt for the 2-seed behind the Thunder in the West standings. If not for Jokic, Denver would likely be a play-in tournament team, assuming they are even in the playoff hunt.
After a historic 30-20-20 performance no player has ever achieved in NBA history, Jokic is now averaging a triple-double for the season. This has been the best season of Jokic’s career, topping what he did during his three MVP seasons. If the Nuggets star put up these numbers a season ago, he likely would’ve joined Stephen Curry as the only other unanimous MVP in NBA history.
So, what will ultimately decide this MVP race between SGA and Jokic?
Aside from Gilgeous-Alexander getting the most of Jokic and Denver on Sunday with 40 points in a 127-103 win, these two MVP candidates will play against one another for the last time during the 2024-25 season on Monday.
Although neither player guards the other, they are the leaders of their respective teams. Head-to-head record is going to matter for voters, and the Thunder own a 2-1 edge before Monday night’s showdown in Oklahoma City.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor against Denver this year. Jokic is averaging 21.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 12.7 assists per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor against Oklahoma City this year.
Which of these players deserves to be the NBA’s MVP this season?
As we inch closer to the finish line of the regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic remain in a very tight race for the MVP award.
Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 19 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Previous ranking: #1
2024-25 season stats: 62 games, 32.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks, 52.5 FG%, 37.2 3P%
This past week was the best of the season for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his chances of winning MVP.
The Thunder star was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the second time this year despite taking a day off in what turned out to be a 107-89 win for Oklahoma City over the Portland Trail Blazers. In the three games he played, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 44.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.0 rebounds, winning all three games by an average margin of 19.7 points.
All season, Shai has been the best scorer in the league. Aside from leading all players in total points, Gilgeous-Alexander sits at the top of 20-point, 30-point, and 40-point games. Oklahoma City is the best team in the West with the best player in the league this season.
Take that for what it’s worth.
2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Previous ranking: #2
2024-25 season stats: 58 games, 28.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 57.4 FG%, 43.0 3P%
Jokic is beginning to win back a lot of MVP voters who have been eyeing Gilgeous-Alexander. Averaging a triple-double for the season is one thing, but continuing to make history no other player ever has certainly favors Jokic in the MVP conversation.
That is what the Nuggets MVP did on Friday in a thrilling 149-141 overtime victory against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. Jokic registered 31 points, 22 assists, and 21 rebounds in this game, achieving something nobody in the history of the league ever had.
“Nikola Jokic is 1 of 1. The first player to ever have a 30-20-20 game,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said after his star’s performance. “The guy is just an incredible player. When you are 1 of 1 in this league, in the tremendous history of this league, that says a lot. Nikola is in a class all by himself.”
This was Jokic’s league-leading 29th triple-double of the season. He has five triple-doubles over his last eight games. The more triple-doubles he gets and the more wins Denver can rack up over the final month of the NBA season, the better his MVP resume will look.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Previous ranking: #3
2024-25 season stats: 51 games, 30.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, 60.5 FG%
As good of a season as Giannis Antetokounmpo has had, he isn’t in the same conversation as Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander. Even so, Giannis has been the MVP of the Eastern Conference regarding his value to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Antetokounmpo has been the Bucks’ leading scorer in 38 of the 51 games he’s played this season, and the fact of the matter is that they wouldn’t be in the playoff spot they are without him. As good as Damian Lillard is, Giannis is what hides a lot of the Bucks’ flaws and makes them a championship threat.
This has been the two-time MVP’s highest-scoring season of his career.
4. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Previous ranking: #4
2024-25 season stats: 60 games, 27.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 45.5 FG%, 35.5 3P%
Jayson Tatum has quietly been picking up his play during the second half of the season in advance of the Boston Celtics’ title defense in the playoffs.
After going for 35 points and seven rebounds in a 123-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Tatum had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a 111-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since the start of February, Tatum has averaged 28.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor. He ranks fourth in scoring and 23rd in rebound among players who have played in at least 10 games during this span.
The Celtics are defending champions for a reason, and they will again be favored against everyone because of Tatum’s ability to lead them.
5. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
Previous ranking: #5
2024-25 season stats: 58 games, 25.0 points, 8.5 assists, 8.2 rebounds, 51.7 FG%, 38.4 3P%
LeBron James, at 40 years old, is still one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately for the Lakers, LeBron suffered a groin strain in this past weekend’s loss to Boston. He is now in danger of failing to reach the 65-game minimum needed to qualify for end-of-season awards.
The last time James didn’t make an All-NBA team was during the 2003-04 season, his first in the NBA. This historic 20-year All-NBA streak is now in danger because of the league’s Player Participation Policy and the game requirements needed.
Nonetheless, LeBron’s numbers are still comparable to any other player in the mix for the MVP race.
Just missing the cut
6. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers (Ranked No. 6 last week)
7. Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons (Ranked No. 7 last week)
8. Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors (Ranked No. 10 last week)
9. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves (Ranked No. 9 last week)
10. Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks (Unranked last week)
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