NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) ladder race 2024: Top 5 candidates ft. Nikola Jokic (Week 15)
Nikola Jokic leapfrogs Joel Embiid in our weekly updated MVP ladder following his consistent performances, and the latter's injured left meniscus. The Denver Nuggets star big was one of the names to watch out for as he battled fellow competitor Giannis Antetokounmpo in a mouth-watering clash last week.
Jokic propped up a staggering 26-point performance marked with 16 rebounds and 12 assists. After winning all of their games last week, and Jokic leads the pack in the top five MVP candidates.
On that note, here are the top five candidates for MVP after a thriller Week 15 of the 2023-24 NBA season.
NBA MVP ladder race 2024: Top 5 candidates ft. Nikola Jokic (Week 15)
#5 Jayson Tatum
The Boston Celtics forward has been in prime form, but that wasn't enough as they suffered a defeat against the short-handed LA Lakers who were without the services of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. To his credit, Jayson Tatum bounced back admirably against Eastern Conference rivals Indiana Pacers with a 30-point outing, coupled with seven rebounds and as many assists. However, the 2-1 scoreline puts him in fifth place.
#4 Joel Embiid
- Last week's games played: 4 (Wins 1, Losses 3)
- Season games played so far: 34
- Last week's stats: 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists
- Season stats: 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists
Joel Embiid's unfortunate meniscus injury sees him slip the rungs this week. The Sixers have also struggled in the big man's absence whose last game was against the Golden State Warriors where he propped up 14 points before going down with the injury. While the Sixers sweat over his future, the reigning MVP's rankings too take a hit.
#3 Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Last week's games played: 3 (Wins 1, Losses 2)
- Season games played so far: 48
- Last week's stats: 32.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 6.0 assists
- Season stats: 31.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists
After going down to Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets early last week, the Bucks were stunned by the Portland Trail Blazers as well. Even though 'The Greek Freak' is piling up numbers, the Bucks remained winless under Doc Rivers, and barring their win against the Dallas Mavericks, they have nothing much to show for yet. His individual performances sees him at No.3 on our list.
#2 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Last week games played: 3 (Wins 3, Losses 0)
- Season games played so far: 49
- Last week's stats: 34.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists
- Season stats: 31.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists
Trailing numero uno Nikola Jokic was a name most NBA fans wanted to see on the MVP ladder for quite some time now. Shai Gilgeous -Alexander has been on a tear this season and extended his 30-point streak to eight games when they faced a Jokic-less Denver last Wednesday. Such has been SGA and the OKC Thunder's dominance that they are 35-15 in the West, sitting on top in the standings.
#1 Nikola Jokic
- Last week games played: 2 (Wins 2, Losses 0)
- Season games played so far: 49
- Last week's stats: 26.0 points, 19.0 rebounds and 12.0 assists
- Season stats: 26.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 9.0 assists
Nikola Jokic claimed back the top spot after trailing it for a good part of the season. 'The Joker' had solid outings last week with a 26-point, 16-rebound masterclass over the Sixers. He then notched up another 25 points and 16 rebounds against the Bucks to post a league-best 14th triple-double of the season. The Nuggets are on the rise after his epic run, and that puts him at No. 1 on our MVP ladder.