Breaking down the MVP race as we leave All-Star Weekend for the stretch run of the NBA season.
Awards races drive much of the conversation each year in the NBA, and the 2021-22 campaign is no different. The competition is heating up for Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and even the All-NBA teams, but the Most Valuable Player pursuit is always in the center of the frame. A few candidates have separated themselves to this point in the calendar, but there is still time for shuffling and, more so than any other award, team successes and struggles can also swing the pendulum. In this space, we’ll take a glance at the candidates as the race stands, with the leaders coming in alphabetical order. Doesn’t it feel like Antetokounmpo is being overlooked? He has won the MVP award twice, but after a title run and a Finals MVP honor, it could be argued that Giannis is playing the best basketball of his career. He is Milwaukee’s best defender, even on a team with Jrue Holiday, and Antetokounmpo cannot be denied by virtually any opponent on offense. He is averaging more than 29 points and 11 rebounds per game with strong efficiency and catch-all metrics that are clearly uber-elite. Antetokounmpo may suffer from voter fatigue, but he’s a clear MVP candidate. Curry was the consensus leader early in the process, which was certainly helped by a red-hot start from Golden State in the standings. Bizarrely, the two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion then endured a brutal shooting slump, at least by his standards, in January, and Curry’s numbers aren’t quite what they were in November and December. Still, he is the best shooter on the planet, and opposing defenses must tailor their approach to Curry more so than any other player in the league.
