NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year Candidates

The Greek Freak has been a completely unstoppable force this year. He is averaging a whopping 30 points, 13.5 rebounds, nearly six assists, one steal, and one block per game this season. This is insanely impressive due to the fact that Giannis is doing all this in UNDER 31 minutes per game. If efficiency had a definition, putting up that stat line in those minutes would definitely suffice.

Speaking of efficiency, Giannis is on track to average the highest single-season PER of anybody in NBA history (32.35). PER stands for “Player Efficiency Rating” and combines all of a player’s statistical contributions into one number. Giannis’s PER for this season is higher than legends Wilt Chamberlain (31.82), Michael Jordan (31.71), and LeBron James (31.67) during their most effective seasons. That, combined with the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks have the best record in the league at 47-8, is why the Greek Freak is the indisputable frontrunner for league MVP this season. It’s scary to think Giannis is only going to get better.

At 35 years old and in his 17^th year, what King James is doing this season is nothing short of remarkable. The ‘Chosen One’ is putting up a career-high and league-leading 10.6 APG that paces the best team in the West. The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 42-12 and wouldn’t be in that position if it wasn’t for LeBron James. Of course, they also have a generational superstar in Anthony Davis, but without LeBron, this team does not function at a high level. At all.

Plus-minus accounts for net changes in score when a certain player is on/off the court. With LeBron on the court, the Lakers’ plus-minus is 8.5. With LeBron off the court, their plus-minus is -0.7. Not only do the Lakers do worse when LeBron is not playing, but they are also simply worse than the average opponent, as shown by the negative rating.

LeBron not on the court is a huge detriment to the Los Angeles Lakers and without him, the team is nothing more than a lottery team, like AD’s Pelicans last year. LeBron’s positive impact on the Lakers directly ties in with them having the best record in the Western Conference and that is why King James would be on his way to winning his 5th NBA MVP if it wasn’t for Giannis’ historic season.

The second superstar in Los Angeles is recognized as a generational talent due to his ability to stretch the floor, handle the ball like a guard, and dominate in the post. Not to mention the fact he’s one of the best defenders in the NBA and a frontrunner for DPOY this season.

While it won’t happen this year, the potential is certainly there for Davis (more than any other player in the NBA) to one day join Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win the MVP award and the Defensive Player of the Year award in the same season.

AD is leading the Los Angeles Lakers in every major statistical category except assists (thanks to LeBron’s league-leading 10.6 APG this season). The Brow’s physical presence and statistical dominance on both ends of the floor attribute to him being a premier MVP candidate.

Luka is having an amazing impact for a 20/21 year old to have on the game of basketball. What’s crazier is that Luka is on pace to having the greatest sophomore campaign of anybody in the history of the game. No 20-year-old has ever been able to do what Luka is doing right now.

The European phenom is averaging a near triple-double and already owns the most career triple-doubles (22) in Dallas Mavericks franchise history during just his second year in the league. Luka’s sophomore campaign is one for the books and even better than LeBron’s second season when he averaged 27 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists a game.

The most impressive aspect of what Luka is accomplishing this season is his unique approach to the game. He is not very athletic and operates at his own pace. He makes the game look like it’s being played in slow motion at times, causing defenders to look silly with his signature unguardable step-back move. He is the sole reason the Dallas Mavericks are a Playoff team right now and that is why he is an MVP candidate.

Perhaps the greatest isolation scorer in NBA history and one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the game today should come second to none when discussing who will win MVP. The Beard’s value for the Houston Rockets is unprecedented and if it was solely about individual value on the offensive side of the ball, then Harden would have four or five MVP trophies sitting in his home right now. Unfortunately for him, team success is a huge factor in dictating who is selected as the MVP, and the Rockets don’t always come out on top.

Houston currently sits at fourth in the Western Conference, but one can make the argument that they wouldn’t be in playoff contention at ALL if Harden didn’t put up historic numbers on a nightly basis. The 2017-18 MVP is leading the league in scoring again at a scorching 34.9 PPG. If the Rockets were first or second in the West, a legitimate case could be made for him as the frontrunner for MVP. Since his team is fourth though and thriving most when Westbrook is the better performing player, Harden is stuck in the fifth spot on this list.

The Greek Freak has been a completely unstoppable force this year. He is averaging a whopping 30 points, 13.5 rebounds, nearly six assists, one steal, and one block per game this season. This is insanely impressive due to the fact that Giannis is doing all this in UNDER 31 minutes per game. If efficiency had a definition, putting up that stat line in those minutes would definitely suffice.

Speaking of efficiency, Giannis is on track to average the highest single-season PER of anybody in NBA history (32.35). PER stands for “Player Efficiency Rating” and combines all of a player’s statistical contributions into one number. Giannis’s PER for this season is higher than legends Wilt Chamberlain (31.82), Michael Jordan (31.71), and LeBron James (31.67) during their most effective seasons. That, combined with the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks have the best record in the league at 47-8, is why the Greek Freak is the indisputable frontrunner for league MVP this season. It’s scary to think Giannis is only going to get better.

At 35 years old and in his 17^th year, what King James is doing this season is nothing short of remarkable. The ‘Chosen One’ is putting up a career-high and league-leading 10.6 APG that paces the best team in the West. The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 42-12 and wouldn’t be in that position if it wasn’t for LeBron James. Of course, they also have a generational superstar in Anthony Davis, but without LeBron, this team does not function at a high level. At all.

Plus-minus accounts for net changes in score when a certain player is on/off the court. With LeBron on the court, the Lakers’ plus-minus is 8.5. With LeBron off the court, their plus-minus is -0.7. Not only do the Lakers do worse when LeBron is not playing, but they are also simply worse than the average opponent, as shown by the negative rating.

LeBron not on the court is a huge detriment to the Los Angeles Lakers and without him, the team is nothing more than a lottery team, like AD’s Pelicans last year. LeBron’s positive impact on the Lakers directly ties in with them having the best record in the Western Conference and that is why King James would be on his way to winning his 5th NBA MVP if it wasn’t for Giannis’ historic season.

Perhaps the greatest isolation scorer in NBA history and one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the game today should come second to none when discussing who will win MVP. The Beard’s value for the Houston Rockets is unprecedented and if it was solely about individual value on the offensive side of the ball, then Harden would have four or five MVP trophies sitting in his home right now. Unfortunately for him, team success is a huge factor in dictating who is selected as the MVP, and the Rockets don’t always come out on top.

Houston currently sits at fourth in the Western Conference, but one can make the argument that they wouldn’t be in playoff contention at ALL if Harden didn’t put up historic numbers on a nightly basis. The 2017-18 MVP is leading the league in scoring again at a scorching 34.9 PPG. If the Rockets were first or second in the West, a legitimate case could be made for him as the frontrunner for MVP. Since his team is fourth though and thriving most when Westbrook is the better performing player, Harden is stuck in the fifth spot on this list.

Luka is having an amazing impact for a 20/21 year old to have on the game of basketball. What’s crazier is that Luka is on pace to having the greatest sophomore campaign of anybody in the history of the game. No 20-year-old has ever been able to do what Luka is doing right now.

The European phenom is averaging a near triple-double and already owns the most career triple-doubles (22) in Dallas Mavericks franchise history during just his second year in the league. Luka’s sophomore campaign is one for the books and even better than LeBron’s second season when he averaged 27 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists a game.

The most impressive aspect of what Luka is accomplishing this season is his unique approach to the game. He is not very athletic and operates at his own pace. He makes the game look like it’s being played in slow motion at times, causing defenders to look silly with his signature unguardable step-back move. He is the sole reason the Dallas Mavericks are a Playoff team right now and that is why he is an MVP candidate.

The second superstar in Los Angeles is recognized as a generational talent due to his ability to stretch the floor, handle the ball like a guard, and dominate in the post. Not to mention the fact he’s one of the best defenders in the NBA and a frontrunner for DPOY this season.

While it won’t happen this year, the potential is certainly there for Davis (more than any other player in the NBA) to one day join Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win the MVP award and the Defensive Player of the Year award in the same season.

AD is leading the Los Angeles Lakers in every major statistical category except assists (thanks to LeBron’s league-leading 10.6 APG this season). The Brow’s physical presence and statistical dominance on both ends of the floor attribute to him being a premier MVP candidate.