The MVP Race

[Ramcus]

We are approximately halfway through the season, and things have largely settled in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. The top dogs in the East(DET, BRK, MIL, ATL, MIA) have distinctly separated themselves from the rest of the East, and the West continues to dog it out for top team in the West. Lead by SAC, PHX, DEN, GSW, and LAC, the West also make their fight for supremacy. Today I want to take a look at players who I feel like are making their case for MVP this season. These players are in no particular order, except the order in which I find them.


1. Stanley Johnson Jr. | Detroit Pistons: I understand that formerly, SJJ had a bad reputation. His inefficient volume scoring with imperfect charity stripe shooting(and a GM who kept others on their toes) made him a controversial offensive centerpiece to build around. But this season, if any of that reputation still lingered, it's all gone now. SJJ has transformed himself, with the help of GM emplep7 and the Detroit Pistons coaching staff, into an efficient secondary scoring option and team leader. SJJ's numbers this season don't necessarily jump off the page at a moments glance, but after a closer inspection, one may realize that SJJ is hitting a career high in Efficiency and PER. More than ever, SJJ used his elite scoring prowess to dominate on the best team in the league.


2. Deandre Ayton | Brooklyn Nets: Deandre Ayton this season is showing why his archetype of player is so important. An efficient secondary scoring option who's primary job comes on the other end of the floor, on defense. Ayton leads the 2nd best team in the league(record-wise) with his floor-raising playstyle. Reminiscent of a young Tim Duncan, Ayton's two-way scalability makes him one of the most valuable players in the league, able to fit with just about any other ball-dominant player.


3. Ben Simmons | Miami Heat: What can I say about Simmons that hasn't been said already? Elite two-way talent; hyper efficient scorer; creates for teammates; defensive #2. As long as Simmons is healthy, he will be in the MVP conversation.


4. Zion Williamson | New York Knicks: As much as I'd like to say Williamson is not an MVP candidate because the Knicks are not a top-4 team in the East, I just can't do it. Williamson is just too good. Look above at Simmons if you want any description of Williamson, except he's a better defender.


5. Michael Porter | Sacramento Kings: So uh... this guy doubled his points per game output. He was averaging 16 ppg last season for Sacramento, and this season he just doubled it. And Sacramento is the best team in the West, and Porter is clearly the best player leading the best team. No questions asked, he's good.


6. Isaiah Taylor | Phoenix Suns: Another 30 point per game scorer, Phoenix and Sacramento are running similar systems for different players. Taylor makes his money inside the arc, and does so efficiently for a guy who's 6'3 and 160lbs. Isaiah Taylor's always been a guy on the cusp of making an MVP-level jump, but never had the right opportunity in Phoenix. This season, with Harrison gone for the 1st half of the season, Taylor's taken the opportunity to demand the rock and make things happen. He's gone nuclear this season, and has lead the Phoenix Suns to a top 2 spot in the West.


7. Jayson Tatum | Denver Nuggets: It seems like a theme in the West, one high-volume scorer with a bunch of complementary pieces next to him. Well in Denver it's no different. I'd be remiss to not include Tatum in spite of my annoyance with another GM; Jayson Tatum is the entire offensive package. He's got every move in the book, and a move for those moves. Best of all, if you cover all his dribble moves, he has the skill to just shoot over a contesting hand. For the rest of the season, he'll have to battle teammate Marcus Smart for the spotlight, but something tells me Tatum will take the upperhand eventually.


8. Isaiah Cousins | Los Angeles Clippers: I have to do it, even if their record isn't great. Isaiah Cousins is averaging the most points in the league on top 10 efficiency. There isn't any other way to put it. There are no other words to say. Isaiah Cousins, this season, has been the best player in the league. That being said, the MVP award doesn't just go to the best player. The MVP award goes to the best player on the best team, and at the end of the season, that team likely won't be the Los Angeles Clippers. It might not matter though, if Cousins can drag the team into a top 4 seed. That might be enough to push the narrative on him.

Honourable Mentions: Brandon Ingram, PJ Dozier/Jake Layman, Semi Ojeleye/Justin Patton, Jabari Parker.

[OneNole]

Personally, I think it should be Parkers to lose. Hes been the best player on the best team, which should not be the defacto reason why a player wins it, but the difference he has made in that team going from last year to this year separates him.

Tatum wont be in the top 3, unless we somehow finish with a top 3 record in the league. His stats will diminish too much playing next ti Smart.

Ben Simmons will be in it every year, Portee will be up there. Taylor I'm not sure about. The team has done just as well with him as they have without him. Need to look at their SOS. But he could easily get into the top 3 assuming they take off once Shaq returns.

But outside of swapping parker for sjj, I think the order laid out is how I would rank them through the halfway point

Cousins needs to start winning games, too much talent on that team to be a 500 level squad.

Ayton is definitely in the top 3. Hes better than I thought be would be.

[Flaming Homer]

Nice write up and that will be a heated discussion about the MVP as usual

Overall I agree with Brett, Parker instead of SSJ (who is indeed a very important part of Jon's success) but it could be also the reason he is not making it into the top3. The Pistons team is more than one player. But since he arrived they really hit another level.

Simmons as always in the discussion and rightfully so. Imo best player in the league.

I think Cousins and Tatum will get more votes this year and Ayton is just awesome this season. He may get my vote this year.

Zion and Luka slowly should get their names in but I'm not ready yet to hand it over to them. Still more to prove.

[Silogical]

The kings 2nd best player could be Thybulle who is only in his 2nd year, still a year or 2 before he starts playing at his full potential. If they keep winning Porter will be up there with Parker and Ayton, or cousins if the clippers start winning. Close race this year.

I got sick of injuries so I cut Simmons minutes big time. This will prob cost him MVP, but it will show just how valuable he is when i win 5-10 fewer games.

[OneNole]

The kings 2nd best player could be Thybulle who is only in his 2nd year, still a year or 2 before he starts playing at his full potential. If they keep winning Porter will be up there with Parker and Ayton, or cousins if the clippers start winning. Close race this year.

I got sick of injuries so I cut Simmons minutes big time. This will prob cost him MVP, but it will show just how valuable he is when i win 5-10 fewer games.

I doubt anyone would dispute that simmons is the best player in the league, but I'm sure he will have voter fatigue the same way lebron does.

[Andrewu91]

Right now it's obviously Isaiah Austin who has played a career year with the nets at 33 years of age.

Parker seems to be getting the votes so far, but what separates him from Austin? Both have similar stats but the teams within 1 game of each other.

Isaiah Austin has my vote so far..

[bt]

MVP is a personal thing really and why a panel votes on it and we as a league vote on it. I personally need three things from an MVP and that's winning (contender status), performance (stats) and might be my opinion only but playing both ends.

I kind of hated when guys like Steve Nash, Dirk and Harden won the NBA MVP so I'd never vote for a non two way player. They're rarer but to me that's what makes them so special.

So it's hard to go past Simmons if the Heat finish in the top 4. Ayton would be a big threat also and Zion if the Knicks could improve.

I personally think Porter for us is having one of the best seasons of all time statistically from an offensive point of view. The guy is a scoring phenom at 33.7 points per game in only 31.3 minutes whilst shooting 52.9% from the floor, 84.3% from the line and 43.1% from three. True shooting percentage of 61.7% and has the highest PER of all time to date at 39.7 which is insane. Statistically an offensive juggernaut but I'm not sure I could have him as the MVP even if we were a contender given his average but so-so defense. Personal preference of course.

[bt]

Right now it's obviously Isaiah Austin who has played a career year with the nets at 33 years of age.

Parker seems to be getting the votes so far, but what separates him from Austin? Both have similar stats but the teams within 1 game of each other.

Isaiah Austin has my vote so far..

Parker plays 28.6 minutes and the Nets are driving Austin to an early grave at 35.6 minutes per game. Ayton hands down the MVP of that team.

[OneNole]

Right now it's obviously Isaiah Austin who has played a career year with the nets at 33 years of age.

Parker seems to be getting the votes so far, but what separates him from Austin? Both have similar stats but the teams within 1 game of each other.

Isaiah Austin has my vote so far..

Parker plays 28.6 minutes and the Nets are driving Austin to an early grave at 35.6 minutes per game. Ayton hands down the MVP of that team.

Agreed, hard for austin when he isnt even the best player on his team when statistically ayton is much better. Austin is having a great season though. Funny to me when at the beginning of the season the nets bashed rizzo for trading isaac for Austin. Deal is looking like an awesome move by rizzo

[Andrewu91]

Right now it's obviously Isaiah Austin who has played a career year with the nets at 33 years of age.

Parker seems to be getting the votes so far, but what separates him from Austin? Both have similar stats but the teams within 1 game of each other.

Isaiah Austin has my vote so far..

Parker plays 28.6 minutes and the Nets are driving Austin to an early grave at 35.6 minutes per game. Ayton hands down the MVP of that team.

So in retrospect, why is Parker a candidate and not SJJ?
Pistons with SJJ have won consistently, while Parker has had a career losing record in the CSL.

If anything, SJJ finally got a #2 option.

[OneNole]

I didn’t even notice someone said Austin is going to an early grave yeah giving a starter starting minutes is a bad thing…. Im most likely the least injured team in the league and my starters playing starting mins has translated quite well actually… in fact I can’t remember in the nba where load management ever translated to winning…. So I wouldn’t do that here. But Zion get my vote he’s clearly his teams best player and he’s as dominant as it gets I like ayton more but Zion in the csl is what Zion in the nba was supposed to be.

While I agree with you in principal, history has shown that with this game, players that play a lot of minutes with minimal breaks lead to manor injuries. It's why you will typically see gms not play their starters over 32 minutes if they can. Go look at any other top team and see the minutes their players get in comparison.

[bt]

Right now it's obviously Isaiah Austin who has played a career year with the nets at 33 years of age.

Parker seems to be getting the votes so far, but what separates him from Austin? Both have similar stats but the teams within 1 game of each other.

Isaiah Austin has my vote so far..

Parker plays 28.6 minutes and the Nets are driving Austin to an early grave at 35.6 minutes per game. Ayton hands down the MVP of that team.

So in retrospect, why is Parker a candidate and not SJJ?
Pistons with SJJ have won consistently, while Parker has had a career losing record in the CSL.

If anything, SJJ finally got a #2 option.

I never looked at the Pistons so maybe it's the same there? These ain't my candidates.

Was just commenting on your silly Austin hands down comment.

[cb4raptorscb4]

Parker is lighting it up offensively. It's still early though, so things could change a lot.

I don't think our team is designed to ever get many MVP votes, even if we finish with the best record in the league lol

[emplep7]

Good article and discussion.

There are some good candidates this year when its typically a 2-3 player race. Simmons is the best player in the league so its hard to go against him with an average of 33 mpg, but if his minutes are being slashes it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

I'm clearly biased towards SJJ and Parker has elevated our team this season while taking some of the offensive pressure off of SJJ, but it will be hard to go against Cousins/Porter if those teams end up near the top of the league in terms of record.

[mgtr81]

I don't think our team is designed to ever get many MVP votes, even if we finish with the best record in the league

Same here. I just built a team over all these seasons where the different parts fit with each other. That has its drawbacks (lack of potential MVP) but also its advantages (less impact by injuries).

[WillyJakkz]

Rarely do I agree with OneNole but man Jabari Parker seems to be the 1a to SJJ 1b on the Pistons.

Also Ingram over Cousins as the MIL Bucks are playing very well.

Good list.

[rh0xxy]

Stats matter so i'd say SJJ over Jabari in Detroit for me. And since Brooklyn has currently overtaken them, Ayton have the edge right now it seems.

[Andrewu91]

I wonder if anyone's lists changed..

[cb4raptorscb4]

I know one thing.. Cousins has gone up