NBA MVP Rankings: Nikola Jokić on Top, Jayson Tatum Enters the Ballot

Plus, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes a strong case with a run of 30-point games, while Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks turn things around.

This is easily the most open NBA MVP race of the decade so far, as our top players should continue to battle down this final sprint to the playoffs. This week, a new challenger enters the top five, emerging as a significant threat to the players who’ve been firmly entrenched in the lead positions. Let’s get to the rankings.

(All stats through March 1. Previous rankings can be seen here.)

1. Nikola Jokić

The Joker may have had his weakest grasp on the top spot heading into the All-Star break, as the Denver Nuggets had lost three in a row and looked like they could slip down a bit in the standings. Since the break, both the Nuggets and Jokić have been on a tear. Denver has won five in a row, and the Joker had triple doubles in each of the first four wins.

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

SGA’s scoring outputs in his last five games: 31, 30, 36, 31 and 31. He’s like a 30-point metronome, leading the NBA in such scoring nights with 44 of them on the season.

3. Luka Dončić

The Dallas Mavericks have cooled slightly in the wake of the trade deadline, losing three of their last four. Dončić has not cooled off at all in that time, scoring 33, 45, 30 and 37 points in those games. He has 41 assists in his last three outings, and triple doubles in each of his last two.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo

After a 3–7 stretch heading into the break, the Milwaukee Bucks have won five in a row. Antetokounmpo dropped 46 on the Chicago Bulls on Friday. And Doc Rivers has made a significant impact on the defensive side of the ball, with the Bucks now creeping up to 15th in defensive efficiency. If Antetokounmpo is dominating on both ends of the floor moving forward, he’ll move up in the rankings accordingly.

5. Jayson Tatum

Tatum is getting a shameless push from the Democratic People’s Republic of Boston’s propaganda machine to win this award, and while I’m not ready to go that far, he definitely has a strong case to be on the ballot. Boston is so much better than the rest of the NBA, it feels silly not to have the best player from the team in the top five. Hurting Tatum’s case is how well the team plays with him off the floor, and how good his castmates are. He looked great in the Celtics’ dominant win over the Mavs on Friday, scoring 32 points on only 19 shots.

Honorable mentions : Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell.