NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Power Rankings featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and more | March 7th, 2022
With the end of the regular season on the horizon, the NBA MVP race is heating up. Superstars are playing at their absolute best because each team wants to grab the best possible seed for the playoffs. There are roughly 16 to 17 games left for each team, and how the stars perform down the stretch of the season will play a crucial role in the NBA MVP race.
It is almost useless how a star performed in the beginning of the season because those performances are often forgotten and don't play any major role in the playoff seeding. For example, Steph Curry started the season blazing hot, and the overwhelming MVP favorite but is now not even top three in the race.
Players like Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and LeBron James are out of the race for good, and it doesn't look like they will enter the conversation. Meanwhile, Ja Morant is making a serious case for the MVP award, but he is more likely to win the Most Improved Player accolade.
So on that note, let's take a look at the MVP Power Rankings.
#5 Steph Curry
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 4th (↓1).
Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 0; Games lost - 3
Overall: Games played - 64; Games won - 43; Games lost - 21
Last Week: PPG - 28.3, APG - 4.7, RPG - 4.7
Overall: PPG - 25.8, APG - 6.4, RPG - 5.2
Last Week: FG% - 50.8%, 3P% - 43.3%, FT% - 100.0%
Overall: FG% - 43.2%, 3P% - 37.9%, FT% - 91.8%
Steph Curry is shooting incredible again, but the Golden State Warriors are down in the dumps. They have lost eight of their last 10 games. The fourth-place Utah Jazz are breathing down their necks, and the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks are steadily climbing.
Nevertheless, Curry is back to averaging over 50/40/90 shooting splits, and if the Warriors improve their position, he might climb the MVP ladder.
Kawakami: No more Steph Curry sacrifices, accelerating the future timeline and more ways to rekindle the Warriors dlvr.it/SLFfzJ
#4 Nikola Jokic
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 5th (↑1)
Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 2; Games lost - 1
Overall: Games played - 64; Games won - 38; Games lost - 26
Last Week: PPG - 34.0, APG - 7.5, RPG - 14.0
Overall: PPG - 25.8, APG - 8.0, RPG - 13.8
Last Week: FG% - 66.7%, SPG - 2.5, BPG - 2.0
Overall: FG% - 57.1%, SPG - 1.4, BPG - 0.8
While other teams have helplessly suffered losses because of injuries, the Denver Nuggets have continued to impress. The reigning MVP has a strong case for his second consecutive trophy.
Nikola Jokic had a virtuoso performance against the New Orleans Pelicans in an eight-point win Sunday night. He dropped a 46-point triple-double with 11 assists and 12 rebounds but scored 30 of those points in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Joker did so while shooting 16 of 22 (72%), including 3 of 5 (60%) from 3-point range, and 11 of 12 (91%) from the charity stripe.
Nikola Jokic tonight:
46 PTS (30 in 4Q and OT)
12 REB
11 AST
3 STL
4 BLK
16-22 FG
He is the 2nd player in NBA history with a 45-point triple-double on 70% shooting. The other was Wilt Chamberlain. https://t.co/2GLnZnDWfr