The NBA celebrated All-Star weekend this past weekend culminating on Sunday Night with the 73 All-Star-Game in Indiana. Despite the lackluster defense played in the game and lack of quality field in the dunk contest, the weekend was memorable based on the entertainment provided in the Celebrity game, Rising Stars competition, skills, three-point contest, and the Sabrina vs Steph Curry challenge. Damion Lillard made history as the first player to win a three-point contest and win MVP the following day. Lillard became the second player after Michael Jordan in 1988 to win a contest on Saturday and then take home the MVP trophy on Sunday. As we look forward to the restart, we will get you caught up by discussing the wide-open race for the Most Valuable Award.
1. Shai Gilgreous Alexander- SGA is not a household name, but he is the frontrunner for the award because he is the best player on a team that last season team fell out of the Play-in Tournament and into the lottery. The Oklahoma City Thunder finished with a disappointing 40-42 record, but this season Shai’s terrific play has galvanized a young squad to a 37-17 record and second place in the Western Conference. Shai is averaging 32.2 points for the field, 5.8 rebounds 6.8 assists this season. Alexander is ranked fourth in the NBA in plus-minus with a plus 525 when he is on the court. SGA is an incredible scorer who plays at his pace and makes the right read in punishing the defense. If the Thunder can win the number one seed in the west, then there will be no denying Shai this award. Alexander would join Steve Nash as the only Canadian to win the most coveted award in the NBA.
2. Jayson Tatum-Tatum is third on this list because he is the best player on the Boston Celtics, who are the best team in the NBA. Tatum leads the NBA in plus or minus rating because he is a +564 on the court, and averages 27.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Tatum has improved his overall game by attacking players in the post and absorbing contact heading to the rim. Tatum has also improved his passing out of double teams and defending the top scorers in the league. If Tatum wins the award, he will be the first Celtics player since Larry Bird to win the MVP award in 1985-86. If the Celtics continue to dominate the field as the number one overall seed in the remaining schedule, then it will make Tatum’s case even more compelling.
3. Nikola Jokic-Jokic is a back-to-back winner of the MVP award between 2020 to 2022. However, the Serbian lost out to Joel Embiid last year, but he had the last laugh by winning the Finals MVP in the NBA Finals. Jokic is averaging 26.1 pts, 12.0 rebounds and 8.9 assists. The Serbian will always be a contender for this award because he is essential for his team’s success with his contribution in every statistical category. The Nuggets are fourth in the standings but only three games behind the Timberwolves. If Jokic wins, he will move into another category by joining Hall of Famers Moses Malone, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson as players who won the three MVP awards.
4. Anthony Edwards- I have the Ant-Man climbing to the number four spot to win the MVP Award. The Minnesota Timberwolves were a dysfunctional team at the end of last season, with Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson throwing punches on the sideline. Yet, Edwards and the Timberwolves have flipped the script this season by leading the league in defensive rating. However, Edwards brings the firepower on the offensive end by averaging a career-high 26.3 points and 5.3 assists per game. Anthony is the constant for his team having played 52 of the possible 55 games so far. If Edwards shocks the field, he will be the first Timberwolves player since Kevin Garnett in 2004 to win the award.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo- the Greek Freak, is a two-time MVP and a perennial contender for this award. This year, Giannis is averaging 30.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 6.4 assists by imposing his individual dominance on basketball games. However, the gaudy statistics have not translated to winning and led to the firing of Adrian Griffin and to the hiring of Doc Rivers. Despite the change to Rivers, the Bucks are 3-7 under the former championship Coach and have embarrassing losses to the Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz, and an injury-riddled Memphis Grizzles. If Giannis is to climb to the top, he will need his inspiring teammates to elevate their play and push for a top-three seed in the