We are getting to the nitty gritty of NBA 2018/19, with just over a month left of the regular season. The likes of the Bucks, Raptors, Warriors and Nuggets have already more or less booked their playoff places, but there are still several places up for grabs. Another thing that remains wide open is the battle to be MVP, although the likes of Antetokounmpo and Harden are staking particularly strong claims right now.
The MVP award goes to the player with the best overall level of performance throughout the season, with a panel made up of sports broadcasters and writers making the decision on the winner – although fans also now get a say through an online ballot. So which five players currently have the best shot at winning it?
Giannis Antetokounmpo
This 24-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise with the Bucks since becoming their main playmaker and has been a big factor in their excellent season so far. He was immense during this season’s All-Star game and his stats are impressive, with an average of 10 field goals per game from his 55 games started up to now. Antetokounmpo would be a strikingly youthful MVP winner and this is one of the factors that could stand in his way when he is up against such established names – and past winners – as Curry and Harden for the prize this year.
Kevin Durant
It could be argued that Durant is somewhat undervalued, despite a career laden with trophies, but he could win his first NBA MVP prize since 2014 this time. He has already won the MVP award for the All-Star game after scoring 31 points for Golden State during the win over Milwaukee. Despite this, there were still suggestions from some sports writers that the award should have gone to team-mate Stephen Curry. Durant has a 27.5 points average for the season, with 9.7 field goals from 18.8 attempts, but that lack of appreciation from many pundits may scupper his chances.
James Harden
The current holder of the MVP, he is producing impressive scoring stats again in his bid to be the 12th back-to-back winner of the award, with a 10.7 field goal average this year. His performances were crucial to keeping Houston in contention for a playoff place after a terrible 11-14 start to the season and the team need him to maintain his current levels to qualify. This would simultaneously boost his personal award chances, which will be of interest to anyone considering MVP online betting. He may consider a career-first NBA title to be more of a priority, but with a top-four playoff seeding for the Rockets not guaranteed, he has a better shot at the MVP award than that.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard is well in the running despite starting fewer games – 45 – than most of the other main betting contenders. The Raptors small forward has had fans chanting for him to win the title all season, but he has earned this praise with his performances since coming back from injury. With 3.1 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game, he has also produced career-best stats for points and game minutes. This has brought him two Player of the Week prizes in the Eastern Conference and has helped Toronto to second spot in the NBA. His figures for the season are superb and he has to be considered a serious MVP shot.
Stephen Curry
Having stolen many of the headlines during the All-Star game, Curry needs to help Golden State hold off Denver and Oklahoma for the Western Conference. He started the season in amazing form, with a 33-points-per-game average for the first nine matches, as the Warriors won eight, before being sidelined by injury for the next 11. His absence was keenly felt by his team, but he came back to lead them to seven straight victories with 5.7 assists and 33.1 points per game. As usual his shooting has been superb all season, but even by his standards he has been a powerhouse on the court in 2018/19.
Despite strong competition and a spell out through injury, Stephen Curry’s performances and stats should win him another MVP award this year.
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