The race for NBA Most Valuable Player is coming down to the slimmest of margins.
And, despite massive performances from players like Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, this continues to be a two-man race between Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder.
Both players have legitimate, if different, arguments to support their case: Gilgeous-Alexander has been consistent and steady and is just as valuable on defense as he is with his scoring. Jokić has been a dominant offensive force in the paint and continues to be one of the game’s best passers — at any position.
All of this is leading up to what could be the closest MVP race since 2004-05, when Suns guard Steve Nash topped Heat center Shaquille O’Neal by 34 points.
USA TODAY’s NBA MVP power rankings (stats and team records before Tuesday’s games):
5. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum has solidified himself as one of the league’s best players, and he’s headed for his fifth consecutive All-NBA selection. He’s been in and out of the lineup recently protecting a sprained left ankle, and the Celtics have the luxury of letting that heal with the No. 2 seed secured in the Eastern Conference. He plays on a loaded roster that relies on a certain style so his stats are tempered compared to what they could be if he were on another team. Still, Tatum averages 26.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals, and there aren’t many players in the league who deliver that game by game.
4. Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards, who has missed just three games this season, averages 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals and shoots 44.6% from the field, 39.7% on 3-pointers and 83.5% on free throws. Those are career highs in scoring and 3-point percentage, plus his effective field goal percentage (.545), which takes into account made 2s and 3s. In the past three weeks as the Timberwolves try to stay out of the play-in game format, Edwards has scored at least 30 points four times, including 41 points against Utah, 38 against Indiana and 37 against Philadelphia.
3. Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
He is having the misfortune of producing monster numbers in a historic season, but remaining wholly out of reach of his third career MVP. With Damian Lillard’s continued absence (deep vein thrombosis), Antetokounmpo has taken on an even bigger load offensively, both as a scorer and distributor; his 35-point, 17-rebound, 20-assist triple-double Thursday against the 76ers was the first time in NBA history that a player recorded that stat line. Yet, in the face of the consistent greatness Jokić and Gilgeous-Alexander have shown, Antetokounmpo remains a distant third.
2. Nuggets center Nikola Jokić
You could make a sound argument that Jokić has had the better week individually, with two triple-doubles, including a 61-point effort April 1, in his past three games. In fact, it marked the highest-scoring triple-double in league history. The issue is that Denver has hit a rough patch and is on a four-game losing streak, though Jokić sat out last Wednesday’s loss against the Spurs. Yet, in the five games since returning from an ankle injury suffered in late March, Jokić is averaging 40.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 9.6 assists per game. The Nuggets are sliding, yes, but they would be utterly lost without him.
1. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
For the team with the best record in the NBA, Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder’s best player, leading the league in scoring at 32.6 points per game (career high) while also averaging 6.4 assists (career high), 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting 51.9% from the field, 37.1% on 3s and 90% on free throws. Having the best season of his career, Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-way performer, helping the Thunder to the No. 3 offense, No. 1 defense and No. 1 overall net rating. They are just one of two teams ranked in the top five in offensive and defensive rating, and Gilgeous-Alexander is a major reason.