Fueled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 39 factors, Oklahoma City cruised previous Dallas to punch their ticket to Las Vegas.
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The taste right here on the Kia Race to the MVP hits in a different way this weekend. It’s all about what’s up with the Cup?
As in — two of the highest 5 gamers on the MVP ladder are in Las Vegas for the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinals.
So the event web site will function an MVP checkpoint for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder punching their ticket to the Cup’s ultimate 4. If these gamers win their video games Saturday and meet in Tuesday’s championship, the “M-V-P” chants will ring loud … and for good cause.
They’ve each loved a stable season so far, peppered with MVP-like performances in a number of video games and constant efforts in others. Gilgeous-Alexander has had OKC close to or on the high of the West for a lot of the season, whereas Antetokounmpo has triggered a reversal for the Bucks after their sluggish begin.
To borrow a typical phrase in Sin City, the percentages for each gamers to complete excessive within the Kia MVP chase look promising.
But proper now? Here within the stomach of December? They’re each staring up on the favourite.
Setting the stage this week: Antetokounmpo meets the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday for the correct to play for the Cup title (4:30 p.m. ET, TNT). Gilgeous-Alexander will face the Houston Rockets the identical day (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC). All eyes will likely be on these two gamers as a result of, with the Cup’s ultimate days in session, the remainder of the NBA will take the evening off and watch.
The stat to know: Gilgeous-Alexander outscored Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving 39-33 within the Thunder’s 118-104 win towards the Dallas Mavericks to earn a visit to Vegas (shout out to Lu Dort and Cason Wallace for his or her defensive assistance on the Dallas duo).
What they’re saying: “He’s an excellent scorer. Gets his teammates concerned, simply a number of occasions it’s exhausting to cease him. I feel in some unspecified time in the future, you gotta ship two, three gamers. It’s superb to play towards a man like this. The battles. It’s enjoyable. He’s a tremendous participant.” — Dončić on Gilgeous-Alexander.
1. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Last Ladder: No. 1
Season stats: 32.3 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 10.2 apg
His case: Not solely is he on a historic begin to a season, however his final two video games have been legendary. On back-to-back nights he totaled 104 factors, 30 rebounds and 16 assists. Oh, and don’t neglect the 74 whole minutes performed flying from one metropolis to a different — no nights off right here.
And that’s what you need in your MVP, somebody who exhibits up each bodily and productively. There’s nothing to not like about “The Joker” proper now. The pole place for this award belongs to him as we start the house stretch to Christmas. That’s not up for debate.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Last Ladder: No. 2
Season stats: 32.7 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 6 apg
His case: Antetokounmpo is a case research in bucket effectivity and this season is shaping up as considered one of his finest. He’s capturing 61.2% general this season, which displays how devastating he’s when operating downhill and charging the rim. The flip aspect — when he will get fouled his free throws are, let’s say, a bit trickier.
That and the current rise in turnovers are the one blemishes. Otherwise, Antetokounmpo is just doing work at each ends.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Ladder: No. 4
Season stats: 30.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 6.3 apg
His case: He confirmed out within the largest (we use that phrase rigorously pre-Christmas) sport of the season when he torched the Mavericks to punch OKC’s ticket to Vegas. And that’s what you search for in MVP candidates — do they rise to the event together with the stakes?
He has 30 factors in eight of his final 10 video games and whereas he lives for the mid-range and journeys to the free-throw line, his 5 3-pointers vs. the Mavericks have been probably the most 3-pointers he’s made in a sport this season.
4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Last Ladder: No. 3
Season stats: 28.2 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 5.7 apg
His case: As deep because the Celtics are, Tatum is the staff chief in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. He has all the time been an amazing rebounder for a small ahead and his common is a profession finest.
He had a pair of uncharacteristic lapses in scoring over the past week, failing to achieve 20 factors twice in three video games. But these occasional dips are anticipated all through a season and by no means replicate his constant high-level manufacturing — that’s why he’s high 5 on this record.
5. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Last Ladder: No. 5
Season stats: 24.9 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 3.2 apg
His case: Towns was extraordinarily spectacular throughout and particularly within the clutch within the Knicks’ current win in Toronto when he put the Raptors to sleep with a large 3-pointer.
He’ll miss out on all of the enjoyable in Vegas regardless of coming shy of a 20-20 towards the Hawks by a rebound and some extent. Nonetheless, Towns, who’s capturing 44% from deep, just isn’t solely making a robust case for an All-Star nod but in addition, an All-NBA spot if this retains up.
The subsequent 5:
6. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
7. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
8. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
9. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
10. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
And 5 extra (listed alphabetically): Jaylen Brown, Celtics; Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies; LeBron James, Lakers; Franz Wagner, Magic; Alperen Sengun, Rockets
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Shaun Powell has coated the NBA for greater than 25 years. You can e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and follow him on X.
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