NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Power Rankings featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and more | March 15th, 2022
We are in the final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season and the NBA MVP race has picked up a lot of steam. Each game matters more now as there are less than 15 games remaining. Everyone performs their best in the final month of the season as the team's final standing makes a lot of difference in the MVP race.
How a player performed in the first half of the season is almost irrelevant as fans and analysts are now observing every possession to analyze the worthy winner of the award. The race has essentially boiled down to three most dominant big men of this generation - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.
Alsoingly, all three superstars are non-American born athletes so we might have an international winner for the fourth consecutive season.
The complete stats breakdown of the MVP race https://t.co/P2G0fxDfAZ
Also, Steph Curry is back in the mix for the award after a rough stretch of games. DeMar DeRozan's case is slipping and many have demanded that LeBron James should be considered for the award. At age 37, the King is 0.2 points shy of the league leader in scoring and is one of only three players this season with multiple 50-point games.
Luka Doncic is having one of his best seasons ever and many believe he deserves to be in the MVP discussion because the Dallas Mavericks have a better record than Jokic's Denver Nuggets. He is averaging stellar numbers over the last few weeks and is 5th in the league in both points (28.0) and assists (8.6) along with 17th in rebounds (9.3).
Luka Doncic this season:
— 28.0/9.3/8.8
— Avg 33/10/9 in last 20 games
— Only player top 5 in points and assists
— 40-25 team record (3 back from 3rd)
— 33-16 in games he plays
— Better record than Giannis and Jokic
— No All-Star teammate
He belongs in the MVP conversation. https://t.co/uoIwBkya4I
So without further ado, let's take a look at the top five of the latest NBA MVP power rankings from Sportskeeda.
#5 DeMar DeRozan
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 3rd (↓1)
Last Week: Games played - 4; Games won - 2; Games lost - 2
Overall: Games played - 68; Games won - 41; Games lost - 27
Last Week: PPG - 26.3, APG - 6.0, RPG - 7.5
Overall: PPG - 28.0, APG - 5.1, RPG - 5.4
Last Week: FG% - 40.0%, FT% - 94.9%, SPG - 0.8
Overall: FG% - 50.4%, FT% - 87.2%, SPG - 0.9
DeMar DeRozan's hot streak has ended and the Chicago Bulls are suffering as a result. After averaging over 35 a game on 60% shooting for weeks, he is now down to 26 a game and 50% shooting.
The Bulls have lost six of their last seven games, including a five-game losing streak which involved losses to top teams like the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.
They have now slid to fourth place in the East and are just 0.5 games ahead of the surging 5th-seeded Boston Celtics.
DEMAR AT THE HORN.
@NBCSChicago | @DeMar_DeRozan https://t.co/rHL479LNRO
#4 Steph Curry
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 5th (↑1).
Last Week: Games played - 5; Games won - 4; Games lost - 1
Overall: Games played - 69; Games won - 47; Games lost - 22
Last Week: PPG - 26.0, APG - 6.3, RPG - 5.5
Overall: PPG - 25.8, APG - 6.4, RPG - 5.3
Last Week: FG% - 53.8%, 3P% - 41.7%, FT% - 100.0%
Overall: FG% - 43.8%, 3P% - 38.1%, FT% - 92.3%
Steph Curry is back to his usual shooting flurries and the Golden State Warriors have turned it up a notch. After a demoralizing loss to the LA Lakers, the team finally decided to put Curry back to his old rotation pattern and the two-time MVP is balling out ever since. He is shooting at 50/40/90 shooting splits and is coming off a 47-point night against the Wizards.
47 Points on his B-DAY! 🎂 47 Points on his B-DAY! 🎂
@StephenCurry30 celebrated his birthday with 47 points, 7 three-pointers and the @warriors win! #DubNation
47 PTS | 6 REB | 6 AST | 7 3PM https://t.co/tMlqIzgEGt
Moreover, he is also grabbing 1.8 steals a night and is now the league leader in free-throw percentage (92.3%). The Warriors are now tied for second place in the West with the Memphis Grizzlies and have a strong chance of solidifying that spot before the playoffs.