NBA MVP Mondays: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains ahead of Nikola Jokic post-trade deadline
Yesterday at 05:19 PM
Welcome back to NBA MVP Mondays on ClutchPoints, as we break down the latest rankings among the top players in the league to see who will be taking home the illustrious end-of-season award. After a week-long break due to the NBA trade deadline, we are back in full force to discuss the ongoing debate between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic pertaining to the NBA’s MVP award.
While anything can happen over the course of the final two months of the season, this race between Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic may simply come down to team record and how each player finishes down the stretch run.
In Gilgeous-Alexander’s case, his resume continues to look very strong for several reasons. Aside from the fact that Chet Holmgren has returned and the Thunder are still the best team in the NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in scoring. Shai has scored at least 25 points in 20 straight games.
At this point, anything Jokic does isn’t a surprise to anyone. This notion of “voter fatigue” is 100 percent going to exist when media members are contacted to vote for the MVP award, which is a shame because many people who are picked to vote on these awards don’t know anything about the X’s and O’s of basketball. Many of them didn’t even play basketball at the high school, collegiate, or professional level.
It’s a shame that we continue to count on media members to select who “they believe” should win each award, especially since it’s all a popularity contest based on their connections around the league.
Nonetheless, Jokic has once again had an incredible season and is recording video game-like numbers. In addition to averaging a triple-double this season, Jokic is second in the league when it comes to three-point shooting percentage.
Both Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic remain at the very top of the NBA MVP rankings with very little separating them. The only difference is that the OKC Thunder lead the Denver Nuggets in the West standings, which could ultimately push SGA over Jokic for the NBA’s MVP award.
Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Previous ranking: #1
2024-25 season stats: 50 games, 32.7 points, 6.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.0 blocks, 52.8 FG%, 35.2 3P%
As already mentioned, Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded 25 points in 20 straight games. In this span, he also has 15 games with at least 30 points, five games with at least 40 points, and three different games with at least 50 points. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 54 points against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 22.
While the Thunder are a complete team with talent at every position, Gilgeous-Alexander is single-handedly carrying their point of attack on offense. Between this and the fact that he’s leading the league in scoring, SGA is the MVP favorite right now.
2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Previous ranking: #2
2024-25 season stats: 47 games, 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 57.5 FG%, 46.2 3P%
The Nuggets trail the Memphis Grizzlies by 1.5 games for the 2-seed in the Western Conference. It is highly unlikely that Denver will catch up to Oklahoma City, but never say never. Should the Thunder finish first and the Nuggets second in the West, this MVP debate between Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic will come down to their performances late in the year.
So far through five games in February, Jokic is averaging 29.4 points, 11.6 assists, and 11.2 rebounds per game while shooting 63.2 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from three-point range. There really isn’t anything for Jokic to prove anymore, as everyone continues to overlook his historic triple-double numbers. Through 47 games, Jokic has registered a league-high 24 triple-doubles, 14 more than LeBron James (10) in second.
The Thunder and Nuggets will meet in back-to-back games at the start of March. These two matchups between SGA and Jokic could drastically impact the NBA MVP race.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Previous ranking: #3
2024-25 season stats: 41 games, 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, 60.8 FG%
Giannis Antetokounmpo has a calf injury and will miss the Milwaukee Bucks’ next two games heading into the All-Star break. His status for when the Bucks resume play on Feb. 20 is unknown, but to this point, Giannis has only played in 41 of the team’s 51 total games. If he missed more than 17 games, Antetokounmpo will be ineligible for end-of-season awards and honors.
Unfortunately, Giannis has missed each of the Bucks’ last four games because of this injury. Before sitting out, the two-time MVP had recorded at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in five straight games, as well as in nine of his last 12 games overall.
There is no denying Antetokounmpo’s greatness, but it’s hard to imagine him surpassing either Gilgeous-Alexander or Jokic.
4. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Previous ranking: #4
2024-25 season stats: 50 games, 26.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 45.3 FG%, 36.1 3P%
Despite the narrative surrounding him that he doesn’t step up in big games, that hasn’t been the case as of late for Jayson Tatum. Not only did he have 35 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds in a close 118-110 win over the Philadelphia 76ers recently, but Tatum also had 40 points in the Boston Celtics’ most recent 131-104 win over the New York Knicks.
Tatum has been the MVP of the Celtics this season, and he once again has them in a position to contend for a title. Boston has firm control of the 2-seed and could possibly make a run at the top spot in the East if the Cleveland Cavaliers hit a rough patch.
5. Karl-Anthony Towns – New York Knicks
Previous ranking: #5
2024-25 season stats: 47 games, 24.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 53.1 FG%, 42.8 3P%
The Knicks are right behind the Cavs and Celtics in the East standings. That is in large part thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns and what he’s accomplished this season.
Towns ranks tied for 17th in scoring and is second in rebounding behind only Domantas Sabonis. He also ranks third with 39 double-doubles this season, trailing only Jokic (40) and Domantas Sabonis (46).
The problem with Towns in the MVP race is that he has struggled in recent weeks. He had only nine points and nine rebounds in the team’s most recent loss to the Celtics, and Towns appears to be limited by a thumb injury he’s been dealing with. It will be interesting to see if this issue persists through the All-Star break and into the back half of the season.
Just missing the cut
6. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers (Ranked No. 7 last week)
7. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves (Unranked last week)
8. Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons (Ranked No. 8 last week)
9. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs (Ranked No. 6 last week)
10. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers (Unranked last week)
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