The COVID MVP: Which players have been playing at an MVP level this season?
How is a player’s value measured? Is it based on the player’s success throughout the season? Their team’s success? Perhaps both. Because of the ambiguity of the term “valuable”, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is often the most controversial award that the NBA gives out each season.
5. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz, SG
The Utah Jazz have started this season with a 27-7 win-loss record, the best record in the entire NBA. Donovan Mitchell has been a key reason for the Jazz’s success. He is averaging nearly 25 PPG and has led the Jazz to the first seed. The Jazz also have a top 5 offensive and defensive rating.
Mitchell is averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and assists per game and is the clear leader of this Jazz team. However, the reason he is not ranked higher on this list is because he has the help of three other 15+ PPG scorers on his team, as well as all-star center Rudy Gobert. Though, if Mitchell continues to lead the Jazz to the same type of success they have been having for the rest of the season, then he could have a shot at winning MVP.
4. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, PG
Stephen Curry is coming off of an injury-ridden season where he only played five games while his team boasted the worst record in the NBA (15-50). Contrastingly, in the season prior, the Warriors were in their 5th straight NBA Finals. However, Curry had the help of all-star teammates in Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. This season, Durant is not there because he left in free agency, and Thompson is out with an achilles injury. Curry is the only star on his team this season, and he is averaging nearly 30 PPG.
The Warriors have also already won more games this season (19-15 win-loss record thus far) than they did for all of last season. The reason Curry is not ranked higher on this list is that the Warriors are the 7th seed in the West. Though, it is still early in the season. If Curry is able to lead the Warriors to a top 4 seed in the West by the end of the season, he will have a strong case for MVP.theless, is a solid one and deserves an A.
3. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, PG
After nearly missing the playoffs last season, Damian Lillard has led the Portland Trail Blazers to the 6th seed in the West with an 18-14 win-loss record. After CJ McCollum went down earlier this season with an injury, Lillard is the only star on the Blazers, and he has proven that he can lead the team. Also, throughout the first half of the season, he has led the Blazers to wins against contenders such as the Lakers and the 76ers.
Lillard is averaging nearly 30 PPG in a career year. He is top 10 in the league for both points and assists per game, while shooting nearly 45% from the field. If Lillard is able to lead his team to a top 4 seed, he will only increase his odds of winning MVP this season.
2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, C
Averaging nearly 30 points and over 10 rebounds per game, Joel Embiid is leading the 76ers to the first seed in the Eastern Conference. He is averaging the most PPG of his career this season with a FG% of nearly 52 percent, the highest of his career. Additionally, he has been selected as an all-star starter this season, the fourth all-star appearance of his career.
On top of that, the 76ers are having their most successful season in recent years, being the first seed in the East. With their 22-12 win-loss record, the Sixers are topping teams that were projected to do better than them such as the Milwaukee Bucks or Brooklyn Nets. This season, Joel Embiid has also led the 76ers to wins against other contenders like the Lakers and Nets. If Embiid continues to lead the 76ers the way he has been for the first half of the season, then he will certainly be in serious contention for this season’s MVP award.
1. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, SF
Once again, LeBron is proving that he can dominate the NBA. Fresh off of a championship season, LeBron has led the Los Angeles Lakers to the third seed in the West with a 23-11 win-loss record. So far this season, he has been averaging slightly less than 26 PPG and around eight rebounds and assists per game.
LeBron has also been selected an all-star captain for the fourth consecutive year. Also, with the absence of all-star teammate Anthony Davis due to a right calf strain, LeBron has been able to take on a larger role in leading his team.
