NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Power Rankings featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and more | February 28th, 2022

The NBA MVP race is heating up as the end of the regular season looms on the horizon. Superstars are playing at their absolute peak as every team wants to grab the best seed possible for the playoffs.

There are roughly 20 games left in the season and how a team finishes in the standings will make a major impact in the MVP race. The players are rejuvenated after a much-needed break.

Chris Paul's injury, which is expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks, essentially removes him from the race. The first-place Phoenix Suns are expected to lose a bunch of games while their marquee point guard is out, so the second-seeded Golden State Warriors might grab the top spot. In that case, Stephen Curry's odds of winning the award will improve if he improves his shooting splits.

Moreover, Joel Embiid is leading the race in most publications, but the addition of James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers will hamper his case. Many voters believe that having an MVP-caliber teammate essentially means that the player is not entirely responsible for the team's wins.

Many analysts believe Jimmy Butler and Ja Morant should re-enter the conversation. Butler has missed too many games this season, while Morant is more likely to win the Most Improved Player award.

On that note, let's take a look at the top five power rankings of the MVP award.

#5 Nikola Jokic

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets

Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 5th (-)

Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 3; Games lost - 0

Overall: Games played - 61; Games won - 36; Games lost - 25

Last Week: PPG - 17.0, APG - 10.3, RPG - 13.3

Overall: PPG - 25.5, APG - 8.0, RPG - 13.8

Last Week: FG% - 50.0%, SPG - 1.7, 3P% - 20.0%

Overall: FG% - 56.7%, SPG - 1.4, 3P% - 36.7%

The Denver Nuggets continue to win despite injuries to their roster, and all the credit goes to the reigning MVP. Nikola Jokic has arguably been the best floor general in the league.

In his last outing against Portland, he scored just eight points but registered 11 assists and 18 rebounds in 26 minutes. Jokic leads practically every advanced statistic in the NBA, including PER, box plus/minus and win shares. The Nuggets have won every game since the break, of which two were blowout victories.

#4 Steph Curry

Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry

Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 3rd (↓1).

Last Week: Games played - 2; Games won - 1; Games lost - 1

Overall: Games played - 61; Games won - 43; Games lost - 18

Last Week: PPG - 22.5, APG - 12.0, RPG - 4.5

Overall: PPG - 25.7, APG - 6.5, RPG - 5.3

Last Week: FG% - 44.4%, SPG - 1.5, FT% - 80.0%

Overall: FG% - 42.8%, 3P% - 37.6%, FT% - 91.4%

Steph Curry is seemingly back in his shooting slump but has taken on the role of playmaker while players like Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala are out. The Golden State Warriors have played two games since the season restarted, and he has recorded double-digit assists in both. He dropped a season-high 14 assists in a blowout win over Portland.

Curry's MVP stock is low right now, but it might rise once the injured players return and if they go on a winning run.

#3 DeMar DeRozan

Enter caption Enter caption Enter caption Enter caption DeMar DeRozan at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game

Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 4th (↑1)

Last Week: Games played - 2; Games won - 1; Games lost - 1

Overall: Games played - 61; Games won - 39; Games lost - 22

Last Week: PPG - 34.0, APG - 3.0, RPG - 6.5

Overall: PPG - 28.3, APG - 5.1, RPG - 5.3

Last Week: FG% - 50.0%, 3P% - 80.0%, SPG - 1.5

Overall: FG% - 51.7%, 3P% - 36.5%, SPG - 0.9

DeMar DeRozan continues to impress this season, and the Chicago Bulls are winning games entirely because of his excellence on the floor.

While the move to Chicago this season has already seen a boost in his game, he's gone on to carry one of the NBA's most surprising teams. The rest of the starters have missed a combined 97 games.

Meanwhile, DeRozan averaged 35.5 points per game in February (12 games). He is averaging a career-high 36.5% from beyond the arc and is impressively shooting over 80% from that range in his last four games.

The Bulls are second in the East, and his MVP case will solidify if they grab the top seed.

#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks warms up pregame

Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 2nd (-)

Last Week: Games played - 1; Games won - 0; Games lost - 1

Overall: Games played - 61; Games won - 36; Games lost - 25

Last Week: PPG - 29.0, APG - 6.0, RPG - 14.0

Overall: PPG - 29.4, APG - 6.0, RPG - 11.3

Last Week: FG% - 40.0%, SPG - 1.0, FT% - 75.0%

Overall: FG% - 54.4%, SPG - 1.0, FT% - 72.2%

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have been surprisingly losing games of late. They have lost four of their last five games, including losses to title-contending teams like the Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.

However, the "Greek Freak" is still averaging stellar numbers. He is second in the NBA in scoring, averaging 29.4 points per game, while shooting 54%. He is also averaging a career-high in assists at 6.0 per game. If the fifth-seeded Bucks rise in the standings, then Antetokounmpo's MVP case will improve.

#1 Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers

Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 1st (-)

Last Week: Games played - 2; Games won - 2; Games lost - 0

Overall: Games played - 60; Games won - 37; Games lost - 23

Last Week: PPG - 35.5, APG - 3.0, RPG - 9.5

Overall: PPG - 29.8, APG - 4.4, RPG - 10.8

Last Week: FG% - 47.2%, BPG - 2.0, 3P% - 33.3%

Overall: FG% - 49.4%, BPG - 1.5, 3P% - 36.7%

Joel Embiid is averaging a league-high 29.8 points per game and is playing at his absolute peak. He has been averaging more points than minutes in his last 30 games, and the Philadelphia 76ers are third in the East majorly because of him. The Cameroonian is scoring with a flurry of scintillating moves unlike any big man we have ever seen before.

However, as mentioned earlier, having James Harden on the team hampers his MVP case, so he might drop in the ladder.

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