The MVP race has come down to two players who are soaring above the pack, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic are each working on incredible seasons, making for a truly tough call as to who should be the winner. There also continues to be a non-stop supply of stand-out performers, with new players delivering notable performances each week. Additionally, we must acknowledge the calamity suffered by Kyrie Irving, whose season was brought to an abrupt end as a result of injury, as well as the continued dominance of the one-and-only King James, who has made history once again this season.
Two-Man MVP Race
At this point in the season, it is clear that there are only two players in contention for the MVP award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Gilgeous-Alexander is working on a second straight season worthy of the title. However, to his misfortune, Jokic continues to challenge the perception of what is possible in a basketball game, as he just delivered the first ever 30-20-20 game in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander played in three of the Thunder's four games last week and reached the 40-point mark in all three outings, including hitting the 50-point mark for the fourth time this season. He averaged 44.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks on the week, while also picking up a win over Jokic and the Nuggets on Sunday. Gilgeous-Alexander is the most unstoppable guard in the league right now and is primed to continue to dominate
The MVP race has come down to two players who are soaring above the pack, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic are each working on incredible seasons, making for a truly tough call as to who should be the winner. There also continues to be a non-stop supply of stand-out performers, with new players delivering notable performances each week. Additionally, we must acknowledge the calamity suffered by Kyrie Irving, whose season was brought to an abrupt end as a result of injury, as well as the continued dominance of the one-and-only King James, who has made history once again this season.
Two-Man MVP Race
At this point in the season, it is clear that there are only two players in contention for the MVP award, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Gilgeous-Alexander is working on a second straight season worthy of the title. However, to his misfortune, Jokic continues to challenge the perception of what is possible in a basketball game, as he just delivered the first ever 30-20-20 game in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander played in three of the Thunder's four games last week and reached the 40-point mark in all three outings, including hitting the 50-point mark for the fourth time this season. He averaged 44.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks on the week, while also picking up a win over Jokic and the Nuggets on Sunday. Gilgeous-Alexander is the most unstoppable guard in the league right now and is primed to continue to dominate the rest of the way.
Jokic averaged 25.7 points, 16.3 rebounds, 12.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks through three outings last week, including achieving a first in NBA history with 31 points, 21 rebounds and 22 assists in an overtime win over the Suns on Friday. Jokic continues to defy logic by dominating the game at his own pace. With three MVP awards already under his belt, he is not making it easy for anyone else to have a sniff at the accolade. Jokic remains the heart of the entire Nuggets' operation and should continue to stuff the stat sheet from his central role in the offense.
Tough Luck
Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL on a drive to the basket during a clash with the Kings on Monday and will be out for the rest of the season. It has been a tough month for Mavs fans, beginning with losing Luka Doncic in a questionable trade, to losing Anthony Davis -- the player that they received in return for Doncic -- in his debut game with the team, to now losing Irving. The injury is expected to keep Irving out until at least February 2026, which likely means the Mavs will fall out of playoff contention this year and will face a rough start to the season next year. In the absence of Irving, the squad will have to lean on Spencer Dinwiddie to lead the offense, with Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy stepping up into significant supporting roles.
The King
LeBron James is a walking bastion of NBA history that just refuses to stop pushing the boundaries. Aptly referred to as the "King", James became the first player to reach a career total of 50,000 points scored between regular-season and playoff action, as he reached the milestone in a win over the Pelicans on Tuesday. Despite his ripe age of 40, James has is working on a season to rival his best, averaging 25.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game. He topped 30 points in two of three games played and turned in two double-doubles last week, all with just six turnovers in total. Unfortunately, James suffered a groin strain on Saturday and is expected to remain out for one-to-two weeks. Nonetheless, his squad is on a roll, having won eight of the last 10 games and with a firm grip on a playoff position in the West. Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht are all likely to find opportunities to boost their production as they look to pick up the slack in the absence of their leader.
Stand-Out Performers
Draymond Green is playing well this season and put together an impressive week, averaging 10.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.8 steals over four games. His best game of the lot came on Monday, where he racked up 16 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in a win over the Hornets. Green is averaging 9.0 points per game on the season, which is his highest scoring average since 2017-18.
Desmond Bane has reached the 30-point mark four times this season, after he did so twice in four outings last week, including his first triple-double of the campaign with 35 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a loss to the Hawks on Monday. Bane has done an excellent job helping his team stay afloat while they have dealt with injuries most of the way. He is shooting a career-best 48.9 percent from the field this season, despite also shooting a career-low of 37.3 percent from deep. Bane must continue to stand as a steadying force for his squad, as he is their best scorer aside from Ja Morant, who often draws the most attention as the main ball handler and flashier player.
Bam Adebayo has done a great job stepping up since the departure of Jimmy Butler, and he put together an especially impressive week with an average of 26.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals over four games. He is also limiting his turnovers, with no more than two in a game last week. He will continue to share the responsibility of leading his squad offensively with Tyler Herro, who is also playing great this year. However, what makes Adebayo's game even more impressive is his ability to defend the basket. The big man's defensive efforts are resulting in the Heat limiting opposing centers to the league's second-fewest points per game this season.
Naji Marshall is stepping up for his squad amidst a turbulent time due to roster changes and injuries in the lineup. He averaged 25.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals through four games last week, including topping the 20-point mark in at least three straight games for the second time this season. He also delivered a season-high scoring effort with 34 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and two steals in a loss to the Suns, during the Mavs' most recent outing. Marshall will continue to have the opportunity to spread his wings down the stretch of the season, as the Mavs need production from wherever they can get it.
Kyle Filipowski showed relatively modest production to begin his NBA career, but the rookie has stepped it up lately, especially over the last week, where he averaged 22.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals across four outings, including pouring in a career-high 25 points in two of those games. Filipowski should continue to see significant playing time down the stretch of the season, as the Jazz are well out of playoff contention and looking content to let their younger guys handle the reins.
