Now two weeks into the NBA regular season, it seems that this year is shaping up to be one to remember. From unexpected rocky starts to broken records, the beginning of the season has been anything but boring. As we approach the 10-game mark, many players have proven themselves as elite, but only a handful have impacted winning on their respective teams. Of course, things will change throughout the season. But for now, here’s my Way-Too-Early NBA MVP Watch.
(All stats and standings are as of October 29)
Frontrunners
Anthony Davis
Placing third in MVP voting last year, AD has picked up right where he left off, consistently filling the stat sheets every night. He’s currently 11th in the jam-packed Points Per Game category but is sure to climb as the season goes on. He’s also making an impressive bid for DPOY, averaging almost four blocks and 2.5 steals. Aside from the stats, Davis has led the Pelicans to a 4-2 record, tying them for third. Anthony Davis is quickly backing up his remark of being the best player in the league, and his monster force on both ends of the court easily put him at the top of my MVP Watch.
Stephen Curry
Putting up good numbers on a team with another All-Star is difficult. Stephen Curry has been producing career numbers while sharing the rock with three other All-Star teammates. While KD and Klay have been going off, Curry continues to show why he’s the MVP in the Bay Area. Through his first eight games, Curry’s averaging a league-high in points, and his shooting from deep has been even more remarkable than before. Steph already has a 50-point game this season, and with the way he’s been playing, there’s more to come. If he’s able to keep up this unbelievable pace, the Chef may just add a third MVP award to his already impressive trophy case.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Over the past few years, the Greek Freak has shown glimmers of greatness. He’s stuffed the stat sheets over and over again, but Giannis hasn’t had an MVP-worthy year. One reason for this is that the Bucks haven’t been overly successful, but that‘s appeared to change this year.
Milwaukee’s hot start is partly because of a coaching change, but the biggest reason is that Antetokounmpo is having another breakout year. Giannis has continued to show he’s a force to be reckoned with in the paint offensively, but his rebounding numbers have taken an impressive leap well. If Giannis and the Bucks continue their tear through the Eastern Conference (and if Giannis stays healthy), the Greek Freak will almost certainly end up near the top of the MVP race.
Runner-Up
Kawhi Leonard
Possibly the most talked about move of the summer was Kawhi being traded to Toronto. A lot of questions were raised about how Leonard would play coming off his injury, but he’s since silenced his doubters. He’s been averaging over 26 points, eight rebounds, and over 1.5 steals, but what’s been most impressive is his shooting percentages, something that was a big question after an underwhelming preseason.
Leading his Raptors to an almost perfect start, his impact to the team goes far beyond paper. Kawhi brings to Toronto a defensive atmosphere that’s been absent from the team in recent years, and his tenacity on that end of the floor is contagious. If Kawhi keeps up this pace, he could easily put himself in the MVP conversation, but he’ll need to stay healthy, something he’s had trouble with in the past.
Dark Horse
Nikola Jokic
The Joker has quietly dominated the West in the first few games of the season. Averaging career numbers in almost every category, Jokic has led Denver to a great start with his scoring and playmaking. Just recently, Nikola became the second player to ever have a triple-double while perfect from the field, and he did so with 35 points.
The biggest concern for the Joker is his inconsistent scoring. Jokic’s scoring ability is apparent, and he has the tendency to go off for big scoring games, but he also tends to follow those games with poor numbers. If he can develop some sort consistency on the offensive end, watch for Nikola Jokic’s name near the top of the MVP voting.
Honorable Mentions: LeBron James, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and DeMar DeRozan.