OPINION: NBA MVP race has reached new levels of excitement and competitiveness
The NBA MVP race this season has been one of the most competitive races in recent memory. With standout performances from numerous different players and record-breaking statistics, the race for the award has reached new levels of excitement.
Sitting atop the latest MVP ladder is Philadelphia 76ers center and reigning MVP Joel Embiid. Embiid has picked up right where he left off from last season. Averaging a league-high 35 points per game (PPG), 11.4 rebounds per game (RPG) and approximately six assists per game (APG), Embiid is proving, once again, that he is the most dominant player in the NBA.
In a 40-point outing in December against the Chicago Bulls, Embiid became the first center with 12 straight 30-point games since Hall of Famer Moses Malone did it in 1982.
Embiid also racked up an astounding 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, further proving his dominance this season.
Unsurprisingly, Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic comes in at the No. 2 spot. Coming off an NBA Championship and a Finals MVP award last season, Jokic has shown no signs of slowing down. Averaging 26.1 PPG, 11.9 RPG and approximately nine APG, "The Joker" can record a triple-double on any given night.
Jokic is currently tied with Domantas Sabonis for the most triple-doubles this season with 12. No matter what coverages teams throw at him, Jokic has no problem exploiting defenses with his elite playmaking and high basketball IQ.
Rounding out the top three is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is at the forefront of a young Thunder team's success, propelling them to second place in the Western Conference with a record of 29-13. Gilgeous-Alexander can get to the basket whenever he wants and is one of the best pure scorers in the league, averaging 31.1 PPG.
Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA with the most games scoring at least 30 points, doing so in 30 of his 41 games played. He is also getting it done on the defensive end, leading the NBA by averaging more than two steals per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks comes in at No. 4. "The Greek Freak" has led the new-look Bucks to second place in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. When Antetokounmpo gets a full head of steam driving to the basket, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the league who can stop him.
Antetokounmpo leads the NBA in points in the paint per game at 20.9. Antetokounmpo is also a walking double-double, averaging 31.2 PPG and approximately 12 RPG.
Concluding the top five is Slovenian guard Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. Averaging a near triple-double with 33.6 PPG, 9.2 APG and 8.3 RPG, Doncic can do it all on the offensive end.
Doncic's ability to manipulate defenses with his three-level scoring and elite passing is second to none. In a recent loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Doncic notched his 37th career 30-point triple-double. The number ties Doncic with Lebron James for the third-most in NBA history. At just 24 years old, Doncic could be well on his way to taking the record for himself.
Each of the contenders for the NBA MVP award has a compelling case for the title, making this year's race an extremely competitive one. The incredible performances these players display on a nightly basis make this season's MVP race one of the most captivating and exciting in recent memory.
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