2021 NBA Finals: Top 3 contenders for Finals MVP award
The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns are currently embroiled in a fascinating NBA Finals contest, that will likely be decided by whoever can steal a win on the road. Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Devin Booker have been electric on offense and currently lead the race for the Finals MVP.
However, the coveted award could go another way. Chris Paul's leadership may earn the Suns their first championship, while Khris Middleton's clutch shooting continues to put the Bucks in a position to win.
After a narrow 109-103 victory in Game 4, the Milwaukee Bucks tied the NBA Finals with the series now headed back to Phoenix. Neither side has lost at home yet and both have been near unstoppable in front of their own fans throughout the playoffs. Heading into Game 5, which takes place on Saturday night, we take a look at who the top 3 candidates currently are for the NBA Finals MVP award.
Giannis Antetokounmpo leads competitors for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP
The NBA Finals MVP award can, at times, be more impressive than the regular season trophy. It proves that a player can shine consistently on the biggest stage and has the determination, calmness and execution to lead his side to a championship.
Many of the league's Hall-of-Famers and future inductees have won the Finals MVP trophy. LeBron James has dominated proceedings in recent years with four awards, while Kevin Durant won it back-to-back with the Golden State Warriors.
Our first contender on the list, Giannis Antetokounmpo, will be hoping history repeats itself with the Milwaukee Bucks. When the team won the title in 1971, fellow big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took home the Finals MVP after putting up 27 points and 18.5 rebounds per game.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is simply doing it all right now for the Milwaukee Bucks and has put himself in pole position to win the NBA Finals MVP award. The 2-time regular season MVP has shaken off a knee injury he suffered in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Atlanta and looks unstoppable in his pursuit of a first league title.
The Greek forward has utilized his immense length to take advantage of his opponents throughout the playoffs and ranks top for rebounds in the postseason.
In the NBA Finals, his size continues to help him earn second-chance points for his team and trips to the line. So far in the series, Antetokounmpo has averaged 32.3 points (most of any player from either team) and 14 rebounds per game and also has a +/- of 6.8 which is 2.5 more than the next best player Mikal Bridges.
Antetokounmpo has consistently put his team in a position to win. Whether that has been him becoming a distributor to help Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton get going in Game 3 after they struggled to shoot the ball in the previous matchup.
Or by playing up to his All-Defensive first-team abilities with chase-down blocks and clever switching. The 26-year-old currently leads all players in the contest for blocks (1.8) and steals (1.5) per game.
If he can continue these performances and help the Milwaukee Bucks win their first championship since 1971, Antetokounmpo will surely win the NBA Finals MVP trophy.
He became only the second player in Finals history to grab 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in consecutive contests along with Hall-of-Fame center Shaquille O'Neal and the first player in 50 years to register 100 points and 40 rebounds in the opening three games.