As competitive as the matchups have been in each conference with one-fourth of the NBA season gone, the MVP race is heating up to unprecedented levels. The top contenders look similar to last year, but players like Cade Cunningham and Giannis Antetokounmpo are showing why they could be dark horses. And of course, there is the best player in the NBA right now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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The good thing is that the race will only get tighter as the games start to become more important. That is when you see the Mamba Mentality break through and superstars put their definitive stamp on a make-or-break moment. There is still plenty of basketball left to play.
However, if the season ended today, there are clear choices for MVP frontrunners. At least, that is according to Rachel Nichols. The famed analyst shared her picks on a recent edition of Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel.
“Obviously, Shai and Jokic. I think Luka at the moment,” stated Nichols as her top three. She then explained how Doncic’s improved defense is a big reason for his high ranking, on top of his elite scoring from years past.
“He’s leading the league in scoring. He’s averaging nearly a triple-double. Defense has actually been solid. He’s had a 5-steal game and a pair of 4-steal games in a season that is still relatively young.” It shows how Doncic heard these criticisms from last season and made sure he stepped up his game on he defensive side.
As the convo shifted, Nichols revealed that her top pick is the reigning champion. “The top of my list is Shai,” she said. “You have a guy who has sat out nine 4th quarters over 16 games, which basically means that all the stats we talk about him with, he’s doing in so many fewer minutes. He’s scoring a point a minute.”
That wasn’t all from Nichols either. She reminded her listeners that Gilgeous-Alexander was putting up these wild numbers by mainly sinking 2s. “He’s not a volume 3-point shooter to get that point a minute, so that’s also a factor into this. He’s scored less than 30 only three times this season.”
And the Thunder‘s record shows exactly how impactful the Canadian superstar is. The defending champs are 17-1 and riding a 9-game winning streak. They are making last season’s dominant run look like child’s play.
Now the race feels like it is setting up for a photo finish, even this early. The stars at the top are playing out of their minds, and the numbers get louder every night. But with three quarters of the season still ahead, anything can change in a week. One thing is certain: this MVP chase is already must-watch TV.
