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Julius Randle is consolidating his top spot in our NBA Most Improved Player of the Year power rankings. With his closest competitor, Jerami Grant, sidelined for the past week due to injury, Randle's odds have shortened even more.
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year Latest Power Rankings
Consistent performances by the other four contenders in the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year's latest power rankings mean that they have all kept their respective places this time around.
However, there could be slight changes in the coming weeks. Jerami Grant's availability could play a role in determining his final position in the power rankings. Meanwhile, Michael Porter Jr.'s rise has been monumental.
This article analyzes every contender's performance over the last week and discusses why they have all retained their respective spots in the latest edition of the NBA MIPOY power rankings.
#5 Nikola Jokic
Previous MIPOY Power Ranking: 5 (-)
Stats last season: 19.9 PPG | 9.7 RPG | 7.0 APG
Stats this season: 26.4 PPG | 10.9 PRG | 8.4 APG
The NBA MVP award frontrunner has rarely put a foot wrong in the last few months. He has helped secure the Denver Nuggets' home-court advantage for the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic has been one of the most reliable players in the NBA. The Serbian has played every game this season while other stars in the league continue to deal with injuries and COVID protocols.
Jokic has looked determined despite the plethora of injuries suffered by his team, none more important than Jamal Murray.
Nikola Jokic has played four games since the April 30th edition of our NBA Most Improved Player of the Year power rankings. In that period, he has averaged 28.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and five assists per contest.
Jokic has always been a beast on the offensive end and has one of the highest basketball IQs in the NBA. On the other hand, his defense has been underrated, especially in recent weeks. The "Joker" has more blocks (46) and steals (93) than he had in his previous season (44 blocks and 85 steals), despite playing seven fewer games.
#4 Christian Wood
Previous MIPOY Power Ranking: 4 (-)
Stats last season: 13.1 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 1.0 APG
Stats this season: 21.0 PPG | 9.6 PRG | 1.7 APG
Christian Wood was the favorite to win the award at one stage, but a long-term injury significantly hampered his chances. Nonetheless, his consistent performances of late have kept him in the top five of our NBA MIPOY power rankings and the oddsmakers' books as well.
Wood has featured in three games since the last edition of our NBA MIPOY power rankings. He averaged 20 points and eight rebounds per contest during the stretch. His best performance came against the Milwaukee Bucks when he scored 31 points and claimed nine boards to go with four assists.
He also shot 60% from long-range and his performance was crucial in helping the Rockets script an unexpected 143-136 win over the title contenders from the East.
#3 Michael Porter Jr.
Previous MIPOY Power Ranking: 3 (-)
Stats last season: 9.3 PPG | RPG 4.7 | 0.8 APG
Stats this season: 18.8 PPG | 7.5 PRG | 1.1 APG
Michael Porter Jr. started the season as a "good" player but is quickly turning into a "great" one. The 22-year-old is expected to deliver huge performances every night. The free-scoring small forward hasn't shied away from taking up responsibility and continues to live up to his expectations with each passing game.
In the absence of Jamal Murray, MPJ has been an invaluable supporting player to Jokic. He has helped the Nuggets maintain their sharp style of basketball without their second-best player. Had Porter delivered consistently in the early stages of the season, he could have been the frontrunner in the NBA MIPOY power rankings.
Nonetheless, all that matters for MPJ now is to be consistent. His performances have helped his team turn into one of the best sides in the NBA of late. Porter featured in four games last week, averaging 21 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. He has maintained his high shooting percentages, knocking down 54% of his shots from the field, including 43.3% from beyond the arc.
#2 Jerami Grant
Previous MIPOY Power Ranking: 2 (-)
Stats last season: 12.0 PPG | 3.5 RPG | 1.2 APG
Stats this season: 22.5 PPG | 4.6 PRG | 2.9 APG
Jerami Grant has been a revelation this year. Not only has the former Nuggets star improved his numbers, but he has also developed into becoming a team leader on the young Detroit Pistons roster. If not for untimely injuries and a better season for his team collectively, Grant could've gone toe-to-toe with Randle to win the NBA MIPOY award.
Nevertheless, he has had a remarkable NBA season, playing for a team that has struggled heavily to produce results. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his high standards for the foreseeable future.
His odds have undoubtedly worsened since last week but are still good enough to keep him in the top two for this edition of the NBA MIPOY power rankings.
#1 Julius Randle
Previous MIPOY Power Ranking: 1 (-)
Stats last season: 19.5 PPG | 9.7 RPG | 3.1 APG
Stats this season: 24.1 PPG | 10.2 PRG | 5.9 APG
Julius Randle's odds and performances have continued to improve over the last few weeks, helping him stay at the summit of the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year power rankings. Randle has led the New York Knicks and kept them in the hunt for a top-four finish at the end of the regular season.
Along with MVP discussions surrounding his name, Randle is now in the running for 1st or 2nd team All-NBA honors, which may make the NBA MIPOY award look like a consolation prize.
The Knicks forward played three games last week, averaging 24.3 points, seven rebounds and 5.6 assists per contest. He had an off night in his last game against the Nuggets, but was terrific in the two games before that. Randle scored 31 points against the Rockets, shooting 59.1% from the field. He also tallied 28 points the following night against the Grizzlies, shooting 5-of-8 from long-range and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.
