Kia NBA MVP Race: November 9th, 2021 | Latest Power Rankings by Sportskeeda
As the third week of NBA action winds down, the chatter around the Kia NBA MVP race has picked up steam. A lot of drama unfolded last week that has changed the scenario of the league standings. Rebuilding teams are pulling off comebacks against playoff contenders while certain teams are dealing with injury issues early in the season.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors are at the top of their respective conferences. The Warriors are the only team with just one loss and have ranked first in the league in several categories. The Brooklyn Nets have finally found their mojo after a subpar start to their season while the LA Lakers have been bitten by the injury bug. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls have pleasantly surprised the NBA with their dominance to begin the season.
Luka Doncic has slipped out of our NBA MVP rankings because other players have made a serious impact this week. He did sink a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Boston Celtics in his last game so he might climb up the ladder again. Giannis Antetokounmpo is also out of out top five NBA MVP power rankings because the Milwaukee Bucks have simply not been winning anymore.
Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler and Nets' Kevin Durant have made their way into the top 5 but there is no guarantee that they will stay in the top five. Let's dive into Sportskeeda's Kia NBA MVP power rankings.
#5 Jimmy Butler
Previous week’s NBA MVP Power Ranking - N/A
Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 2; Games lost - 1
Overall: Games played - 9; Games won - 7; Games lost - 2
Last Week: PPG - 23.3, APG - 4.7, RPG - 4.3
Overall: PPG - 24.7, APG - 5.2, RPG - 6.1
Last Week: FG% - 52.3%, SPG - 1.3
Overall: FG% - 52.7%, SPG - 2.3
Jimmy Butler has forced his way into our early NBA MVP power rankings. He leads the team in points and steals and is second-highest in rebounds, blocks and assists. Butler is averaging 24.7 points, 5.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game. He is third-highest in the NBA in steals and is 12th in points per game.
Butler is back to being the Miami Heat's Swiss Army knife as he does a little bit of everything for the team. He is third in the NBA in PER (Player Efficiency Rating) and is leading the NBA in Win Shares and Offensive Win Shares. Jimmy Butler was atop the NBA MVP ladder for many publications until last week but has since dropped off. If the Miami Heat keep winning, he might climb the power rankings.
Jimmy Butler is the MVP favorite right now.
25.0 PPG*
6.9 RPG*
5.6 APG
2.9 SPG*
51.3 FG%*
62.2 TS%*
6-1 record
*Career-high https://t.co/CkBk9SeOFF
#4 Nikola Jokic
Previous week’s NBA MVP Power Ranking - 2nd (↓2)
Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 1; Games lost - 2
Overall: Games played - 9; Games won - 5; Games lost - 4
Last Week: PPG - 28.3, APG - 4.7, RPG - 10.7
Overall: PPG - 25.4, APG - 5.2, RPG - 13.4
Last Week: FG% - 58%, 3P% - 36%, SPG - 1.3
Overall: FG% - 60%, 3P% - 40%, SPG - 1.6
The reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has fallen by two spots in our standings because the Denver Nuggets lost two consecutive games to the Memphis Grizzlies. But the Joker has continued his brilliance on the court. He is averaging 25.4 points and 13.4 rebounds per game, eighth and third in the NBA respectively. Jokic has registered two games with 30+ points and seven games with double-digit rebounds. He registered a game-winning block in their last game against the Houston Rockets.
NIKOLA JOKIC SAYS NO AT THE BUZZER!
@nuggets win a thriller. https://t.co/Ax3uL3FHEe
The Denver Nuggets are struggling with injuries but when healthy, they are a force to be reckoned with. Nikola Jokic is out there gunning for back-to-back MVP awards and if the Nuggets win more games, he'll climb up the ladder once again. However, if his team continues to lose games, Nikola Jokic might get kicked off the top five NBA MVP rankings. The teams on their next week's slate are the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks.