2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
STATS: 26.6 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.5 bpg, 1.3 spg, 58.1 FG%
Antetokounmpo has the combination of team success and dominant statistics that voters love to see when determining the MVP. He’s also had a number of trademark games under his belt.
His most recent was the Bucks’ win over the Rockets on Wednesday (which was nationally televised on ESPN). Giannis finished with 27 points, 21 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal to defeat one of the hottest teams in the league and James Harden, who’s widely recognized as his biggest competition for the MVP award.
No player in NBA history has averaged Giannis’ current stat-line (26.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 blocks) over the course of a season. The closest is (once again) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who hit all the averages except assists per game in 1975-76 (and he was named the MVP that season).
Awards, MVP Race, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokopunmpo, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Paul George, Stephen Curry, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors
