
NBA Rumor: MVP Race
371 rumors in this storyline

The Utah Jazz have the best record in the NBA at 27-7 and yet when it comes to MVP, neither Donovan Mitchell nor Rudy Gobert are given much consideration. Jordan Clarkson, the clear front-runner for the Sixth Man of the Year award, is the latest guest on the “Posted Up with Chris Haynes” podcast. The 28-year-old guard is averaging a career-high in points (18.1) and shooting 37.1% from behind the arc.
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In this episode, he discussed the two stars being overlooked for MVP and how the team is unbothered by not receiving acknowledgment. “It doesn’t come up but we definitely praise [Mitchell and Gobert] saying, ‘Yo, you should be in that NBA conversation’ and stuff like that,” Clarkson said on the “Posted Up” pod. “That’s the only conversation that comes out of that. But in terms of worrying about if we’re getting noticed or any of that, I don’t think any of that really seeps into any of our heads. We’re kind of just focused on one thing and that’s winning games and keeping this thing rolling. “I don’t see why they wouldn’t be in the conversation, but hey, it is what it is. We’re just trying to prove people wrong and get better. That’s it.”
The Lakers swoon has led some, including The Athletic’s Sam Amick, to consider the ramifications a month without Davis might have on James’ bid for a fifth NBA Most Valuable Player award. “Put it to you like this,” Davis said. “I know that that man does not care about MVP awards. He cares about championships. So if he loses the MVP and wins the championship like he did last year, he doesn’t care. So that’s what his mindset is, he’s not focused on MVPs. He’s focused on Finals MVPs.”
Tim Reynolds: Just now, @Mark Cuban was asked on @Morning_Joe if Luka Doncic is the MVP: “If the Mavs go forward in the playoffs, yes,” Cuban said. “But we’ve got a long way to go.”
Michael Scotto: Lakers forward Jared Dudley on LeBron James for MVP: “The thing about LeBron compared to all these different players is he plays every game. That matters. It matters to voters. If we’re still up there in the top one, two, or three seed, LeBron’s going to have a chance to win MVP” pic.twitter.com/umIjSAA0RQ
Monty Williams calls Damian Lillard 'arguably' the MVP right now
CJ McCollum: Early fav Sesson MVP too . ESP after that debacle
It’s been eight years now since James won his fourth MVP. His pursuit of a fifth, which would tie Michael Jordan and Russell for second most behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s six, has been complicated. He has an opportunity over the next month to solidify his standing with the Lakers slated to play without Anthony Davis sidelined with aggravated tendinosis in his right Achilles. If James carries the Lakers through during this post-Super Bowl period, when the high-profile made-for-TV games launch — his play has been typically strong this season anyway — he will have an important pillar in any MVP argument firmly on his side: narrative.
Jusuf Nurkic: They talking Dame should be in MVP conversation… man if season over today He is the MVP!!! #CarryOn #ripcity
Nick Friedell: Wiggins — on the Steph MVP conversation: “He’s on his own level right now. There’s no one doing what he’s doing. In my eyes he’s number one right now.”
Connor Letourneau: Andrew Wiggins on why he thinks Steph Curry should be the MVP front-runner: “What he does on the floor for us, you can’t replace that at all. … There’s no one playing that kind of game right now. He’s on his own level right now.”
LeBron James the MVP leader based on ESPN poll
To gauge where the race stands at this point in the season, ESPN asked 100 media members to participate in an informal poll that mimics the postseason awards voting. To make the balloting as realistic as possible, there are at least two voters from each of the league’s 28 markets, as well as a cross-section of both national and international reporters. Like with the NBA’s official vote at the end of season, voters were asked to submit a five-player ballot, and results were tabulated using the league’s scoring system: 10 points for each first place vote, followed by seven points for second, five points for third, three points for fourth and one point for fifth.
While James currently has the inside track in his push for a fifth MVP trophy to go with what he hopes will be a fifth NBA championship this summer, garnering 54 of a possible 100 first-place votes, the race to this point in the season is as competitive as any in recent memory, with a pair of centers — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic — right on his heels.
James was named on 99 of 100 ballots and finished with a total of 760 points, leading Embiid (23 first-place votes) by just 95 points. The last MVP race to have a final margin that small came in 2004-05 when Steve Nash edged Shaquille O’Neal by 34 points. Jokic was third, garnering 18 first-place votes and a total of 596 points.
Durant, after missing all of last season with a torn Achilles, finished fourth in the voting with 272 points, and appeared on 75 ballots, while Leonard (153 points, 64 ballots) finished fifth. Antetokounmpo, the two-time defending MVP, was a distant sixth, getting a handful of votes as he appears very unlikely to win a third straight time. Doncic, the preseason favorite, received only two third place votes, as his glossy statistical resume was easily overwhelmed by the Mavericks’ underwhelming record.
When asked for a comment on Embiid’s MVP candidacy, Daryl Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, said, “Joel is in the rare group of players in NBA history where most of the time, when you watch him, you are wondering if there is a higher level basketball league he can be promoted to, as he is an unfair advantage in this league.”
George Karl: Joker = Top 3 MVP candidate
Erik Spoelstra on Nikola Jokic: He's playing at an MVP level
LeBron James now the favorite for MVP
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is now the NBA MVP betting favorite or runner-up at most sportsbooks, thanks to an unexpected commitment to the regular season that has led the Lakers to the league’s best record. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook was the first operator to make James the favorite, posting 4-1 odds Monday night after the 36-year-old rallied the Lakers to a comeback road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. James finished with 46 points on 19-for-26 shooting, including 7-for-11 from 3-point territory.
Michael Malone says Nikola Jokic has to be in early MVP conversation
PJ Dozier on teammate Nikola Jokic: He has MVP numbers every night
TJ McBride: PJ Dozier did not mince words when talking about how good Jokic has been. “He has MVP numbers every night.” Dozier also mentioned Nikola “Cookie Monster” Jokic’s dedication to to defense as a reason for his MVP case.
John Wall on being in MVP race: All I care about is wins
Brad Townsend: On @The Jump, @Luka Doncic was asked by Rachel Nichols if he thinks he can win MVP. “I think I can do it,” but quickly adds that that isn’t his first goal. “My first goal always is to win the championship.”
Luka Doncic favorite to win MVP
Luka Doncic has separated himself from Giannis Antetokounmpo and emerged as the consensus favorite to win the NBA regular-season MVP at U.S. sportsbooks, and bettors are flocking to the Dallas Mavericks’ young superstar. On Nov. 10, Doncic and Antetokounmpo opened as +550 co-favorites at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. Since then, Doncic has attracted twice as many bets — and twice as much money — as any other player to become the solo favorite at +400.
Luka Doncic the betting favorite for MVP
Brad Townsend: Per @BetMGM, these players have received the most legal wagers for the NBA’s Kia MVP award: Who is the most popular future pick to win Kia NBA MVP this season? @Luka Doncic – 14% of all bets Nikola Jokic – 9% LeBron James – 8% Kevin Durant – 7% Joel Embiid – 7%
Luka Doncic has separated himself from Giannis Antetokounmpo and emerged as the consensus favorite to win the regular-season MVP at U.S. sportsbooks, and bettors are flocking to the Dallas Mavericks’ young superstar. On Nov. 10, Doncic and Antetokounmpo opened as +550 co-favorites at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. Since then, Doncic has attracted twice as many bets–and twice as much money–as any other player to become the solo favorite at +450.
Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks’ two-time reigning regular-season MVP, has dropped a notch back at +500, followed by Lakers stars Anthony Davis (+800) and LeBron James (+850). Doncic has attracted more bets at William Hill than Antetokounmpo, Davis and James combined. At sportsbook operator PointsBet, one out of every three bets placed has been on Doncic, who capped a breakout second NBA season with an electrifying playoff performance in the bubble in Orlando. “I thought he should have finished higher than he did last year in the [MVP] voting,” said Jeff Sherman, a longtime NBA oddsmaker for the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas.
Who will win MVP this season? 1. Luka Doncic: 4 2. Nikola Jokic: 2 T3. Damian Lillard: 1 T3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 1 With James already making nods toward prioritizing the pursuit of a fifth ring over chasing a fifth MVP award after a short offseason, he didn’t receive a vote. Instead the leader was that guy in Dallas, Doncic. Multiple voters said that Antetokounmpo, who has won in each of the past two seasons, would suffer from voter fatigue.
Damian Lillard opened up about the possibility of being in the NBA MVP conversation in the 2020/21 season. Lillard said this can happen if the Portland Trail Blazers are a ‘winning team’. “I feel like if we’re a winning team and we’re in that top two, top three — then I think it’s definitely a real possibility. Maybe because I had a good run in the bubble and I had a good run before I hurt my groin last year [right before the All-Star break]. It was pretty much the last probably 30, 35 games of the season,” Lillard said, via Jamie Hudson of NBC Sports Northwest.
Now that he is set up to be the Lakers’ centerpiece not only immediately but also well into the future, what might be next? “I’m expecting A.D. to go for the MVP,” Jared Dudley said in a video conference with reporters on Thursday. “I’m expecting him to set the tone. … He should have been Defensive Player of the Year.”
He also made fun of those who think that he should be offended if LeBron gets the award: ” So I should get mad right now if LeBron wins the MVP and not me? Don’t get crazy… that would mean that I lost my head. Guys, seven years ago I was looking up to LeBron. He was like… Like Jordan for everyone else. For me, that was LeBron. And now I am on the same sentence with LeBron”.
Andre Iguodala believes Kevin Durant will be named the NBA MVP in the 2020/21 season. Iguodala picked Durant over his former teammate in the Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry. “I’m looking forward to seeing KD. My preseason MVP [pick],” Iguodala said in an appearance on “The Match: Champions for Change” broadcast, per Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area, via Clutchpoints.
Luka Doncic the favorite to win MVP
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks took home the trophy for the second consecutive year this season. Even with the confetti likely still being cleaned off the floor days after the final buzzer in Orlando, oddsmakers are already wagering on next season’s MVP. The Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is favored to win the coveted regular season award in 2021. He is a 4-1 favorite, according to SportsBetting.com. Antetokoumpo comes in second with 9-2 odds followed by Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Curry has 5-1 odds as he makes his long awaited return to the game.
Justin Kubatko: Luka Doncic is the youngest player in NBA history to finish in the top four of the MVP voting. Older man LeBron James is the second-oldest player in NBA history to finish in the top two of the MVP voting (Karl Malone, 1998-99).
James Worthy: .@KingJames still demonstrating that he’s MVP #Leadership
LeBron James pissed off about MVP vote
LeBron James: 🤣🤣16 out of 101 🗳! Ok cool! I got y’all.
Tomer Azarly: LeBron on losing MVP to Giannis – “It pissed me off. That’s my true answer. It pissed me off cuz out of 101 votes, I got 16 first place votes. Not saying the winner wasn’t deserving, but it pissed me off.”
Ben Golliver: Lakers’ LeBron James on finishing second in NBA MVP voting: “I’m fine…. We’re 1-0 in the WCF… I was pissed off at the reaction earlier… I’m absolutely great now. I’m going back to my room, drink some wine and sleep very well tonight. Let’s not get it twisted. I’m great.” pic.twitter.com/VEbZF0fstx
Mike Trudell: AD on LeBron not getting MVP: “He deserves it. It’s not even a question. Year 17 doing what he’s doing… “
Davide Chinellato: Davis is with LeBron on the mvp front: “It’s like they pick the mvp before the season even starts. We as a player should have a say, we are the ones who go on the court. I have no doubts LeBron is the mvp and if you ask around many others think the same” #NBA
Ben Golliver: Lakers’ LeBron James w/ a long riff on awards voting after finishing second for 2020 MVP: “The voting scale is a little weird to me… I don’t know how much really we’re watching the game of basketball or are we just in the narration mode, the narrative.” pic.twitter.com/xJeQ1HLoMD
Tomer Azarly: LeBron gives more examples on questionable NBA Award voting and adds he’s not sure if voting has become more narrative based – “Did you see the votes that Devonte Graham got [for Most Improved]? He averaged 4 points last year compared to 17.5. If that’s not improving, what is?”
Eric Nehm: Giannis Antetokounmpo has won the 2019-20 NBA MVP award and he is accepting the award in Athens, Greece.
Wesley Iwundu: They got the MVP right this year? 😅
Isaac Copeland: Bron got robbed man..
Jaylen Barford: So Bron didn’t win MVP??😕
Giannis Antetokounmpo wins second MVP
Adrian Wojnarowski: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has won his second consecutive MVP award, sources tell ESPN.
StatMuse: Reminder that MVP is a regular season award. And Giannis averaged these numbers this regular season: 29.5 PPG 13.6 RPG 5.6 APG 55.3 FG% +682 +/- (leads NBA) in 30.4 MPG pic.twitter.com/z0dsNqxMtf
Rob Schaefer: 11 players have won back-to-back MVPs in NBA history: Russell, Wilt, Kareem (2x), Moses, Bird, Magic, Jordan, Duncan, Nash, LeBron (2x), Curry 2 have won MVP and DPOY in the same season: Jordan (’88) and Hakeem Olajuwon (’94) Giannis poised to officially join both lists today
StatMuse: Giannis joins MJ and Hakeem as the only players in NBA history to win MVP and DPOY in the same season. pic.twitter.com/MdYehFPKCD
Because Giannis Antetokounmpo has won MVP honors in 2020, he is now super max eligible to sign a contract with Milwaukee in the 2022 offseason. If Antetokounmpo bypasses an extension this offseason and signs a 1+1 contract (for 30% of the cap in Milwaukee) in 2021 with the Bucks, he would be eligible to sign a five-year super max contract (35% of the cap) with Milwaukee in 2022.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Thankful!
Jordan Clarkson: MAN @LeBron James IS THE MVP!!!
Kyle Kuzma: Yo media, imma tell y’all this. If y’all mess up this MVP like you did the DPOY. We gonna have issues fr.
On Sirius XM Radio right before the bubble games began, Justin Termine, Frank Isola and Amin Elhassan all said Paul appeared on their NBA Most Valuable Player ballot. Termine has Paul as the No. 3 player on his ballot, behind Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo as MVP and Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard LeBron James at No. 2.
“Giannis is an MVP, he’s a hell of a player-it’s like almost impossible to stop him and we did a great job, especially Maxi, Dodo,” said Doncic. “They were on him. It’s tough to stop him; but we work hard, we trust each other, and just keep going and going.”
By the time it was over, Doncic had unleashed a couple of step-back 3s, orchestrated a beautiful two-man game with Kristaps Porzingis, and perhaps most jaw-dropping of all, dropped a between-the-legs pass to Max Kleber in traffic for an easy slam and one before polishing off the game with a contested runner in the lane. He finished with 36 points, 14 rebounds and 19 assists (a career-high), with only two turnovers. “He’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever played against,” Antetokpounmpo said after the game. “He’s making the whole team better, and he’s going to keep getting better.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo very likely to win MVP, DPOY
If you thought this vote was going to be close based on LeBron James‘ run before the league’s stoppage, think twice. Per our poll, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the near-consensus MVP after improving his scoring, rebounding and three-point percentage numbers from a season ago. By securing back-to-back MVP awards, Antetokounmpo will join Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as the only NBA players to do so.
Instead, basketball stopped. And with it, the momentum James had been building came to a halt. The NBA more or less made that distinction official last week when it announced postseason award voters should only base their ballots on what occurred prior to the shutdown. Just as LeBron was closing the gap. “I’m not disappointed because things happen,” James said Monday on a video conference from the league’s bubble in Orlando. “You control what you can control and I can’t control that. As far as the MVP race, I think that I’ve shown what I’m capable of doing. Not only individually but from a team’s perspective, us being No. 1 in the West.”
“There was a lot of conversation about, ‘LeBron can do those things in the East, but if he ever came to the West, what could he do?’” said James, starting to chuckle. “I heard all of that. To be able to have our team at the top of the Western Conference and playing the way that we were playing at that time and the way I was playing, it’s definitely a good feeling.”
“Nobody impacts winning more than LeBron James. I do believe that he should be the MVP this year,” Vogel said. “I believe he should be the MVP and I believe Anthony Davis should be the Defensive Player of the Year. I hope those awards go to our two players.”
Vogel said that the pair’s leadership on defense was paramount to the Lakers’ success. “We’re the third best defense in the NBA, best in the West and a lot of that comes from [James’] commitment this season, which has been greater than the last few years from what I’m told, has really set us apart,” Vogel said. “Like I said, I’m hopeful that those two awards go to those two players.”
When the league told teams on Friday that the races for MVP and other regular-season individual awards are over — ahead of the NBA restart in Orlando, Florida — the decision came as news to Budenholzer. “I had no idea that that was the case, but it makes sense. I think it was 64, 65, 66 games for different teams, so that’s certainly a significant body of work, and more importantly, certainly, Giannis, in our minds, has done more than enough to deserve a back-to-back MVP,” Budenholzer said. “What he does for us on both ends of the court, what he does every night, the way he sets the bar for us, culture-wise, work ethic-wise, just as a teammate. He’s an incredible teammate, plays unselfishly, does everything. And I think that’s kind of what the MVP is, so we certainly feel like he’s very deserving, and we’ll be excited to support him.”
Season awards to be based upon games played before hiatus
Shams Charania: The NBA’s annual performance awards (MVP, Rookie of Year, Sixth Man, Defensive Player, Coach of Year, etc.) will be based upon regular season through March 11, when the season suspended, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Shams Charania: Sources: NBA has informed teams: “The decision to exclude seeding games from awards voting ensures a fair process in which players and coaches from all 30 teams will have the same opportunity to be honored…” League will soon announce voting process and plan to announce winners.
Yet, not everybody is sold on that idea. For instance, if it was up to Pierce, he would give the award to Antetokounmpo without any hesitation (5:55 mark). “You don’t base MVP off of one game like it’s the All-Star game,” Pierce said. “LeBron won the battle (against Giannis), but the war is already won by Giannis. (…) He’s putting historic numbers for a guy his size, he has the best team, a record-wise and the numbers speak for themselves. He’s been dominating all year long, so I take him for MVP and I’ll take LeBron second.”
Damian Lillard thinks so. He appeared on ESPN’s Jalen and Jacoby Wednesday and cited a somewhat dubious reason for picking James. “This season I think it’s LeBron,” Lillard said. “They’re the No. 1 team in the west, they’ve been consistent all year long, and for him to be at the age he’s at with the amount of miles that he has on his body, how often he’s talked about the pressure that they’ve put on him in every little thing that he does. At the level he’s performing at, in my opinion, I think he’s the MVP.”
Damian Lillard thinks so. He appeared on ESPN’s Jalen and Jacoby Wednesday and cited a somewhat dubious reason for picking James. “This season I think it’s LeBron,” Lillard said. “They’re the No. 1 team in the west, they’ve been consistent all year long, and for him to be at the age he’s at with the amount of miles that he has on his body, how often he’s talked about the pressure that they’ve put on him in every little thing that he does. At the level he’s performing at, in my opinion, I think he’s the MVP.”
“I do my homework and I do my research on things, and I just feel like I’m a guy who, in his media, I don’t ever want to mess up my credibility, so I just speak facts,” Perkins said. “I never want to be biased and I never try to sway one way or just be taking up for my homeboy.” Perkins pointed to, as an example of his avoiding bias, picking Giannis Antetokounmpo as his preseason pick for MVP, over his friend LeBron, with whom he spent a summer playing for the Oakland Soldiers, an AAU team, in high school. “I sent him a text and I said. ‘Look man, I’ve got Giannis ahead of you,’” Perkins said. “And that’s when he texted me back and said, ‘Oh don’t worry, I’m gonna reclaim my throne.’ And I was like, ‘OK, well then do it mothafucka.’ He’s like, ‘I am, mothafucka.’”
“I do my homework and I do my research on things, and I just feel like I’m a guy who, in his media, I don’t ever want to mess up my credibility, so I just speak facts,” Perkins said. “I never want to be biased and I never try to sway one way or just be taking up for my homeboy.” Perkins pointed to, as an example of his avoiding bias, picking Giannis Antetokounmpo as his preseason pick for MVP, over his friend LeBron, with whom he spent a summer playing for the Oakland Soldiers, an AAU team, in high school. “I sent him a text and I said. ‘Look man, I’ve got Giannis ahead of you,’” Perkins said. “And that’s when he texted me back and said, ‘Oh don’t worry, I’m gonna reclaim my throne.’ And I was like, ‘OK, well then do it mothafucka.’ He’s like, ‘I am, mothafucka.’”
Jayson Tatum Says LeBron is MVP 👀 The Celtics star also gives out other NBA awards and talks about the G League vs. the NCAA during an interview with @TaylorRooks
Using that rubric, Antetokounmpo led the way with 670 of a possible 700 points, as he was listed in second place behind James on the 10 ballots where he wasn’t listed first. James, meanwhile, was second with 514 points, and was either first or second on 68 of the 70 submitted ballots, finishing third on one and fourth on another.
Leonard came in fifth with 118 points, having been named on 40 ballots, with a huge gap existing between him and crosstown rival Anthony Davis (61 points, 25 ballots) in sixth. Six other players — Chris Paul (28 points, 10 ballots), Nikola Jokic (18 points, eight ballots), Pascal Siakam (12 points, six ballots) Damian Lillard (four points, four ballots), Jayson Tatum (three points, one ballot) and Bradley Beal (one point, one ballot) — rounded out the voting.
Using that rubric, Antetokounmpo led the way with 670 of a possible 700 points, as he was listed in second place behind James on the 10 ballots where he wasn’t listed first. James, meanwhile, was second with 514 points, and was either first or second on 68 of the 70 submitted ballots, finishing third on one and fourth on another.
Leonard came in fifth with 118 points, having been named on 40 ballots, with a huge gap existing between him and crosstown rival Anthony Davis (61 points, 25 ballots) in sixth. Six other players — Chris Paul (28 points, 10 ballots), Nikola Jokic (18 points, eight ballots), Pascal Siakam (12 points, six ballots) Damian Lillard (four points, four ballots), Jayson Tatum (three points, one ballot) and Bradley Beal (one point, one ballot) — rounded out the voting.
Jared Dudley: Both teams at Full strength ✔️ Every game at Staples is a home game ✔️ MVP talk Weekend 👑 ✔️ AD is a different animal ✔️ I said what I said ✔️
Melissa Rohlin: AD on ppl who don’t think LeBron is MVP: “They need to watch the last two games. I mean, what he’s been able to do: taking on matchups defensively, leading the pack offensively, making the right plays, you don’t see that from a guy who is 17 years in the league.”
Melissa Rohlin: LeBron James said he’s never been motivated to win a regular season MVP. He’s motivated to be the best in the world, which has led to MVPs.
ShowtimeForum: “I’m just amazed that they talk about anybody other than him for MVP…I’m not sure what the definition of MVP is.” -Alvin Gentry on @LeBron James 🦁 pic.twitter.com/g153j8JYjI
Amid all the tumult that has defined the 2019-20 season so far, there remains at least one constant: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Last season’s Most Valuable Player is the early favorite to win the award for a second straight year. ESPN asked 101 media members to participate in an informal straw poll of where the league’s MVP race stands as the season moves into its second quarter. It was Antetokounmpo who stood above the rest. The Milwaukee Bucks forward received 48 first-place votes and was the only player to appear on all 101 ballots.
James (29 first-place votes, 651 points, named on 100 ballots), Doncic (14 first-place votes, 569 points, 99 ballots) and Harden (nine first-place votes, 444 points, 97 ballots) have produced the individual achievements and team successes that could make any of them favorites in another season. As it is, that trio, along with Antetokounmpo, has separated itself from the rest of the pack in the eyes of potential voters.