While it may only be a quarter of the way through the NBA regular season, the conversation of who will be the MVP award winner has already sparked. While former MVP winners Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden are still in the conversation, the award will ultimately be awarded to LeBron James or Luka Doncic.
Both James and Doncic have had incredible starts to the season, with Doncic nearly averaging a triple-double (29.3 points per game, 9.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists per game) in just his sophomore season. James is also having a solid season, averaging 26.1PPG, 7.3RPG and 10.7APG, with his assist averages being on track for his career-high within a season.
While these stats might not be as impressive as the numbers both Harden and Giannis have been able to record, it is easy to forget that LeBron is doing this in his 17th season at the age of 34.
Another thing voters will look at in crowning the MVP is the team’s records and improvements. While both the Bucks and Rockets have had solid starts to the season, with the Bucks even having the second-best record in the NBA, both teams were expected to be good. However, if you look at both the Lakers and Mavericks of the 2018-19 season, they were abysmal. The Lakers’ promising signing of LeBron James did not help them, as they finished tenth with a record of 37-45, with James missing a hefty amount of time due to injury. The Mavericks were also less than impressive, finishing 14th in the Western Conference with a record of 33-49.
(AP Photo/Darren Abate, File)
Both teams have had a big turnaround already, with James’s Lakers holding an NBA record of 24-3 at the time of writing, already 14 wins away from beating their win total from last season. While this is partly attributed to additions of players such as Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard, it cannot be understated how big an impact LeBron has had this season, as he leads the league in assists and is still playing at a high level.
The turnaround of the Mavericks is also surprising, with the Mavs currently sitting third in the Western Conference with a record of 18-8 at the time of writing. They have been led by a very much improved Luka Doncic, who is averaging Russell Westbrook-like numbers as he is nearing a triple-double average for the season, putting in some historic performances.
The Mavericks have had big wins against top contenders, and this is mainly due to Doncic playing at an incredible level. It will be interesting to see how long Doncic sits out after his injury days ago and to see how the Mavericks perform without him.
Another aspect that leads to the belief that the award will be given to Doncic or James is the narrative that will surround the awarding of the MVP trophy. Everyone loves a narrative when it comes to sporting events, awards or players. This is also true for the NBA, as narratives such as the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers winning championships in recent years have been spun.
The narrative surrounding James would be that he would become the oldest player to ever win the award, at the age of 35 when the winner is announced, while he would also be the player to pull the historic Lakers franchise out of bottomfeeding teams and into contention for the first time since Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol were members of the franchise.
There would also be a major narrative surrounding Doncic, as he will become the youngest player to win the NBA MVP award, with the current youngest player to ever win the award being Derrick Rose back in 2010. He would also be the first player to win the MVP award on the Dallas Mavericks since Dirk Nowitzki in 2007, with both aspects being narratives that the NBA could spin.
As their battles have shown, both James and Doncic are hungry this year, and with their teams performing well, they are both prime MVP candidates. The award is theirs to lose.
Liam Clark
Roar Guru
Thanks for your comments Steele, I've enjoyed debating this with you and cannot wait to see what happens at the end of the season. I can agree that it could be debatable as to who the most valuable player on the Lakers could be at times, but I do believe what LeBron is doing at his age is beyond incredible. I can see we both can agree on Doncic though, he has been incredible and carrying his team. This shall be an interesting season to be sure
Steele
Roar Rookie
The Lakers and the Bucks both went into the year with high expectations. The Lakers were expected to be the best or second best team with the Clippers. It’s your opinion they needed time but not the bookmakers. It is no surprise where they sit considering Kawhi’s been resting. By your definition most valuable player can’t be LeBron when it’s an open debate who the best Laker is. You cannot argue that point on the Bucks, Mav’s and the Rockets. It’s completely obvious. I don’t think Giannis is the best player I actually think he is the most Valuable with Doncic. LeBron and Kawhi are the actual best players for mine as they step up post season. Yet both of these two have better teammates than the others mentioned. Giannis and Harden haven’t helped their own reputations post season and Doncic is yet to get there. It’s a good debate for sure, but Giannis is the overwhelming favourite for a reason. We will see!
Liam Clark
Roar Guru
I still think the Lakers starting out of the gates so strongly was surprising, considering it was a new team, there needed to be time for chemistry to build and they are still playing very well. The Bucks went into this season, although they lost Brogdon which was a major loss, with high expectations and while they are exceeding them, they were expected to begin the season at a very high level. Giannis might just be the best player in the NBA, I agree, but the MVP isn't awarded to the best player, it is awarded to the most valuable. If it was for the best player, LeBron would have won nearly every MVP award in the last decade. And while I agree Harden is incredible, he still lacks energy on the defensive side of the play at times. All four players are certainly candidates for the award, but I feel like Doncic and LeBron have been the biggest surprises this season and both very valuable to their team and with their vast improvements in record and consistent play will both be front runners for the award
Steele
Roar Rookie
How is it that the Lakers are absolutely “exceptional” and the Bucks are just playing at a “high level“ ?. They are both 24-4 yet the Lakers have a better roster, which was identified pre season as the Vegas odds had them favourites. The narrative shouldn’t and won’t win LeBron the MVP, many believe he isn’t even the best player on his team. He has been robbed of MVPs in past years but if he wins this year he’s made up for it! I agree Doncic’s team isn’t quite as good as the Bucks and think he should firmly be in the frame. I have him second. I just think Giannis is a slightly better player at this stage. Stats aren’t everything. Third is a tie between LeBron and Harden, can’t split them. Harden’s made the incredible look easy and is underrated.
Liam Clark
Roar Guru
The main reasons about Lebron stem down to the narrative and that the Lakers have been absolutely exceptional. The Bucks and Giannis are playing at a very high level, but I would argue that Doncic is carrying a worse team than Giannis is carrying. Still though, all three men are brilliant and I would be happy to see any of them take away the award.
Steele
Roar Rookie
Well Giannis is the short priced favourite. The Bucks lost Brogdan yet somehow are playing at a higher level than last year, as is Giannis himself. His support cast ain’t all that great either. LeBron has A.D! Cmon now be real. The Lakers were equal title favourites before the season began, so that should tell you something about expectations. It’s a whole new team. Agree about Doncic, it’s ridiculous he wasn’t the number one pick! He is lifting an average team on his back much like Giannis. Incredible.
Liam Clark
Roar Guru
That is an interesting thought. Doncic has played in professional leagues since the age of 16 and it has certainly benefitted him, as it did Ricky Rubio. However, Rubio has definitely reached his peak but for Doncic I am not sure how far he can go. If he goes much higher than this level of play, he would be as you said on track to become the best of all time, and while that is not impossible, it is unlikely. It will be interesting to see how his career develops and whether he can keep leading teams as he has led the Mavs this season. And you are correct, NBL is definitely not in the top 3 leagues in the world, there are plenty of better leagues across the world, although I do enjoy watching some of the Australian talent.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The interesting thing about Doncic potentially becoming the MVP at a younger age than anyone in the history of the NBA is that he is been playing professionally in the second and third toughest leagues in the world since the age of 16. Thats because the top clubs in Europe play in both the Euroleague and their domestic leagues. Somehow we have had some noobs in another article say that NBL is in the top 3 or 4 leagues in the world, or is definetly in the top 5 thats certainly not the case even if you exclude the Euroleague. I would contend that a professional club is much better than the high school and one year at college system in the USA, if you look at Ricky Rubio, he started at a younger age profesionally though not at a top club, cane straight into the NBA at one of the youngest ages and performed at a young age as well. The flipside is that Rubio has stayed at the same level indicating his max potential was developed at a younger age. I would suspect the same thing with Doncic , otherwise you would argue that Doncic is on track to become the best of all time.