We are a third of the way through the season NBA and the MVP race is becoming clearer. There have been some great performances, but Nikola Jokic still hasn’t relinquished the top spot he’s held since our first edition of the rankings in November.
Some players have cooled off considerably since then, while others have risen. Joel Embiid wasn’t on our list at the beginning of the season and won’t be on any of the next ones. He has already missed enough games to not reach the 65-game threshold needed. Also, Anthony Davis disappeared of the top five spots after the Lakers’ setback.
Who has taken Davis’ place? These are our leaders in the search for the 2025 MVP award.
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NBA MVP ranking
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Statistics (average per match): 30.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 0.7 blocks, 1.8 steals, 55.8% TC, 48.9% 3PT
Team record: 14-10, 5th in the Western Conference
Any MVP ranking that doesn’t have Jokic at the top is simply not paying attention to what he’s doing. He is second in the league in points, assists and rebounds per game. No one has ever come this close to leading all three of those categories at the same time.
It’s not that they are empty statistics either. Denver has always leaned heavily on its star, but this season he has been on a totally different level. Nuggets are 30.1 points per 100 best possessions with Jokic on the court versus off it, according to Cleaning the Glass, which places him in the 100th percentile of players.
The way Jokic gets his points is remarkable. Since the Nuggets don’t have many shooters, he has been in charge of become one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. His 48.9% on those shots trails only Taurean Prince and Isaac Okoro in the league, and he’s still the best post player of all.
This would be Jokic’s fourth MVP award. That would put him in a generational group that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James. He deserves to be among that company.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Statistics (average per match): 32.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.6 blocks, 0.6 steals, 61.4% TC
Team record: 14-11, 6th in the Eastern Conference
After a 2-8 start to the season, the Bucks are slowly making a comeback in the East standings. It has been Antetokounmpo who has dragged them up the mountain.
Thanks to his improved mid-range shot, Antetokounmpo leads the league with 32.7 points per game with remarkable efficiency. He has yet to shoot less than 50% from the field in a game all season.
Antetokounmpo has dropped a bit on defense, but his below-average season is still one of the best in the league.
Already seen.
We’ve seen this Giannis block before. pic.twitter.com/CRcnDCGsfr
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 15, 2024
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Statistics (average per match): 30.3 points, 6.3 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, one block, 51.0% TC
Team record: 20-5, 1st in the Western Conference
Shai’s case is not difficult: he is the best player on the best team in the West.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine of OKC’s attack, the eighth best in the NBA. He is one of the best guards in the league when it comes to attacking in the paint, and he is a true three-level scorer. This season he has faced all types of defenses, but No one can stop you from getting to the places you want.
SGA is also one of the few two-way stars in the league. He has great anticipation and has been a ball-deflecting machine, getting steals and leading fast breaks.
4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Statistics (average per match): 28.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 blocks, 45.3% TC
Team record: 21-5, 2nd in the Eastern Conference
The Celtics are still on a roll this year. They are the 2nd team in offense and 8th in defense, and Tatum is helping them maintain that spot by playing on both ends of the court.
Tatum leads the Celtics in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Boston has many high-level players, but it is Tatum who is generating many of the advantages that allow him to clearly get to the rim. Defensively, he can take on different types of matchups and do whatever the team needs on any given night.
5. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Statistics (average per match): 28.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.5 blocks, 45.9% TC
Team record: 17-9, 4th in the Western Conference
Doncic and the Mavs started the season below expectations. In the last month they have started to pick up the pace, winning 12 of their last 14 games. Doncic has also regained his accuracy, making 32 of 78 shots from the perimeter during that period (41%), bringing his total for the season to 35.5%.
Luka has had some huge games lately, including a 45-point triple-double in a win against a good Warriors team on December 15. These performances have become the new normal for him.
Luka Dončić put on a SHOW in San Francisco!
🔥 45 PTS (16-23 FGM)
🔥 11 REB
🔥 13 AST
🔥 6 3PM
🔥 3 STL
🔥 2 BLKMavs win their 8th of their last 9 games! pic.twitter.com/97MfOEpja5
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2024
honorable mention
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: Towns is putting up some incredible numbers while helping the Knicks to the third-best record in the East. His 43.9% shooting from the field is the best mark of his career for the self-proclaimed best shooting center in history. It is also averaging 13.9 rebounds per game, the best number in the league.
Stephen Curry, Warriors: Curry is having an impressive statistical season, averaging 23 points, 6.7 assists and 5.2 rebounds on 45.2% shooting from the field and 42.1% shooting from three-point range. He’s been Golden State’s entire offense, but that hasn’t been enough to keep the Warriors from falling recently. If Dennis Schroder can provide something to get more wins, Curry should move up this list.
Kevin Durant, Suns: Here’s how valuable Durant is: Phoenix has a record of 13-2 in games played and 1-9 in games lost. He hasn’t played enough games to be higher on this list. When he has been on the court, his 25.7 points per game show that he is still one of the best scorers in the league.
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: The Cavs continue at cruising speed, maintaining their first place in the East. It has been for several names on the team. You could easily include Darius Garland or Evan Mobley in this honorable mention category, but Mitchell is the guy who leads them late in games. His 23.6 points, along with a much-improved defense from his Utah Jazz days, have been essential for Cleveland.
Anthony Davis, Lakers: Davis was in the top 5 the last time we made this list. It has been falling as the Lakers have lost place in the West. Their defense, although still good, is not at the level of previous years. That’s understandable given that his role on offense has increased: his 27.8 points per game are the most he’s averaged in this franchise.
