The MVP race is completely open now

[elementally morale]

The Nuggets lost 5 of their last 10. They struggle against the elite teams of the West. Jokic would've been an easy choice 2 weeks ago but he is not any more. He is in another mini-slump now. Embiid is out. Shai, Luka and maybe Giannis still have a shot. Tatum should be there as the best player on a team that is winning a lot more than any other team. Kawhi may have an outside shot if the Clippers keep it up. Sabonis is playing great and he is not even an all-star which is a historically bad decision.

I think it's between Shai and Jokic at the moment but I don't see a clear winner here. I'm not sure who deserves it this year. It will really come down to the last 25 games.Who would you vote for?

[Im Still Ballin]

I agree. Shai, Giannis, and Jokic are the frontrunners right now.

[90sgoat]

Mavs have won 6 in a row now.

They're just one spot behind Phoenix for 5th. If Luka beats Booker, Durant and Beal in the standings in the West, then isn't that enough?

If they keep going like this, Luka still has a chance, but they'll need to be on pace for something like 60+ wins for the rest of the season.

I think Luka should probably deserve the win this year, but Shai has a good case too. It's not as if he leads a team of veterans. It's mostly young players.

[Jasper]

Bucks claim 2nd seed , Giannis should get the nod

[Xiao Yao You]

Bucks claim 2nd seed , Giannis should get the nod

loaded team. Why does he get it?

[Real Men Wear Green]

Bucks claim 2nd seed , Giannis should get the nod

Nope. Antetokuonmpo has a narrative working against him with the way Milwaukee has underachieved. Unless Milwaukee passes Boston he's not going to get it. A second place finish where they're still 5 games back won't be enough. The favorite right now is SGA, then Jokic then maybe Doncic. Giannis is a better player than Doncic but Milwaukee is underachieving spectacularly.

[Kblaze8855]

Feels like one of those years a guy just get slotted in by default with the best record. Tatum may well be the guy.

[NBAGOAT]

Think it’s shai. Numbers are insane and he could be leading the 1 seed in the west. His defense is lowkey great too that’s an edge he has on Luka

[tontoz]

Think it’s shai. Numbers are insane and he could be leading the 1 seed in the west. His defense is lowkey great too that’s an edge he has on Luka

I agree I think SGA is the guy.

Jokic dgaf about the MVP. They are just cruising until the playoffs.

[FultzNationRISE]

The logic to these things is always retarded.

For instance if I make an argument for Luka, people will say "Shai has a better record, he deserves it more."

Ok, well if we're going by record, then as Kblaze says it may as well be Tatum.

But then people will say "Nah but Shai is better than Tatum."

But that's not the argument you used for Shai over Luka. You said team record.

And you were gonna give it to Embiid without having the best record until he got hurt. But Giannis is somehow out of the running even tho he has a similar record to Embiid, because you thought his team "was supposed to do better" as if that has anything to do with how Giannis himself is playing.

So these debates are always just nonsense.

[FultzNationRISE]

I also think Domas has as good an argument for being an MVP right now as any of these guys, and he wasnt even picked as an all-star.

Played in every game so far, which I think should count for something when it comes to being valuable. He's shooting 62% from the field, and 43% from 3 (!), albeit the latter on a low number of attempts. Grabs 13 rebounds and dishes 8 assists, which are the best numbers at his position along with Jokic. But because he only scores 20 points per game instead of 27, people will say Tatum is the better player because "27 points > 20 points," which is how the common basketball pleb analyzes the game.

He's an average defender at best but he can generally hold his matchup to as many points as he scores himself, while being a much better quarterback of the offense and hitting the boards harder. It's like people will say SGA is a better two way player than Luka as if that means something, but when they recently faced off Luka finished with more points, assists, and the win, so what did SGA's defense achieve? He certainly didnt stop Doncic.

But again, this is a bit more nuanced than the typical "20 ppg and his team is in sixth!" analysis the typical rube is gonna give to dismiss Sabonis, whether in the media or on the internet, so we know know Domas is out of the race. But the point is just that the award is extremely superficial and decided by stupid people.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Feels like one of those years a guy just get slotted in by default with the best record. Tatum may well be the guy.

I would love to see that but last week SAS brought him up as the frontrunner and Brian Windhorst said that in conversations he had with mvp voters they were holding him coming up short in the playoffs against him. There is an argument to be made against that idea but if that's how the voters feel then the argument doesn't matter and Windhorst would know. I think Tatum would have to get his scoring average back up to thirty. He could do that but if it came as the result of chucking instead of shooting better he really wouldn't be deserving of the award. So I don't think this will be his year. If he can impress those voters this postseason he will have a good chance next year.

[Kblaze8855]

The Success thing is weird, considering he’s already been to the finals. How many people win MVP before they even get that far? Giannis Harden Jokic Rose Nash, Jordan, David Robinson, KG Iverson curry Barkley. More I’m sure, but that was just a random string off the top of my head

Feels like most people become MVPs before they have more playoff success than Tatum. I don’t think he is the MVP but it will be a pretty inconsistent reason to say he isn’t. Not that the process is usually consistent to begin with.

[elementally morale]

Jokic deserved it last year and didn't get it. He is way less deserving this year (so far) but it would not surprise me if the voters gave it to him if it is inconclusive this year just as 'compensation'. Which is not something I find a good idea. On the other hand I can't decide who is more deserving. SGA, Luka, Tatum... sure, why not... but it's not clear why. As I said in the OP it will come down to the last 25 games and this year will actually be interesting. Many people will get 1st place votes, it will be a close race.

[Xiao Yao You]

Jokic deserved it last year and didn't get it. He is way less deserving this year (so far) but it would not surprise me if the voters gave it to him if it is inconclusive this year just as 'compensation'. Which is not something I find a good idea. On the other hand I can't decide who is more deserving. SGA, Luka, Tatum... sure, why not... but it's not clear why. As I said in the OP it will come down to the last 25 games and this year will actually be interesting. Many people will get 1st place votes, it will be a close race.

If Tatum is a candidate than Ant should be. Boston is loaded