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The 2022 NBA MVP race is heating up as we approach the final stretch of the season.
Every superstar is looking to perform at their peak and ensure their teams get the best standing possible. The teams are already in playoff mode and are maximizing their star players' potential to get them into the rhythm for a grueling postseason.
How a star performed at the beginning of the season counts for little now because those performances don't play a major role in the playoff seeding. Steph Curry started the season blistering hot and was running away with the MVP award at one point but is now not even in consideration for the award.
Similarly, a poor stretch of games from DeMar DeRozan has resulted in the Chicago Bulls dropping to fifth in the East. Consequently, his MVP case has disappeared as well.
The Golden State Warriors are still in the top three in the West and are on pace to win almost as many games as their last two seasons combined. However, Curry's personal numbers dipped to historic depths. He entered an agonizing shooting slump midway through the season, which brought his shooting averages down to a career-low.
Curry is now injured and sidelined for the next few weeks as well, which essentially ended his MVP candidacy.
Although they have virtually no chance of grabbing the award so late in the season, Memphis' Ja Morant and Dallas' Luka Doncic have entered our power rankings.
So without further ado, let's take a look at the top five of the NBA MVP power rankings.
#5 Ja Morant
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - N/A
Last Week: Games played - 2; Games won - 1; Games lost - 1
Overall: Games played - 56; Games won - 35; Games lost - 21
Last Week: PPG - 23.0, APG - 7.0, RPG - 4.0
Overall: PPG - 27.6, APG - 5.1, RPG - 5.4
Last Week: FG% - 48.6%, 3P% - 0%, FT% - 71.4%
Overall: FG% - 49.3%, 3P% - 34.0%, FT% - 76.2%.
It is hard not to consider Ja Morant as an NBA MVP candidate this season, with even Nets superstar Kevin Durant having him as his top-three choice for the award.
Morant is averaging career-high numbers in practically every category except assists and the Memphis Grizzlies have climbed to second in the West. However, the third-year pro is more likely to win the Most Improved Player award than the coveted MVP.
Moreover, he didn't have a great last week as he missed two of the four games his side played. Morant didn't convert a single three-pointer or grab a steal in either of the games he took part in.
#4 Luka Doncic
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - N/A
Last Week: Games played - 4; Games won - 2; Games lost - 2
Overall: Games played - 55; Games won - 36; Games lost - 19
Last Week: PPG - 29.3, APG - 7.5, RPG - 7.0
Overall: PPG - 28.1, APG - 8.5, RPG - 9.2
Last Week: FG% - 48.8%, 3P% - 43.2%, SPG - 1.3
Overall: FG% - 45.5%, 3P% - 34.6%, SPG - 1.2.
Luka Doncic has forced his way into the NBA MVP conversation and was recently featured in the NBA's official rankings. He is averaging nearly 31 points per game since the All-Star break and is putting on a show every night regardless of the opponent.
After a poor start to the season, Doncic has turned it around and the Mavericks have begun defeating tough title-contending opponents. They started the campaign with a 16-18 record and are now 43-28 as the fifth seed in the West.
Dallas is just 1.5 games shy of the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz and could still grab home-court advantage for the playoffs.
#3 Nikola Jokic
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 2nd (↓1)
Last Week: Games played - 5; Games won - 2; Games lost - 3
Overall: Games played - 65; Games won - 40; Games lost - 25
Last Week: PPG - 26.4, APG - 7.0, RPG - 10.8
Overall: PPG - 26.1, APG - 8.0, RPG - 13.6
Last Week: FG% - 55.6%, SPG - 1.4, BPG - 1.4
Overall: FG% - 57.0%, SPG - 1.4, BPG - 0.8.
The middle of the West is very tightly contested and the Denver Nuggets losing three of their last five games has cost them. They have now dropped to seventh in the standings.
Nikola Jokic dropped his usual season average last week as well, which hurts his case for the MVP award. Jokic will need to average monster numbers in the final 10 games of the season and improve Denver's standing. Otherwise, his chances of grabbing back-to-back NBA MVP awards will rapidly diminish.
#2 Joel Embiid
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 3rd (↑1)
Last Week: Games played - 3; Games won - 2; Games lost - 1
Overall: Games played - 58; Games won - 39; Games lost - 19
Last Week: PPG - 29.3, APG - 3.7, RPG - 12.7
Overall: PPG - 29.8, APG - 4.3, RPG - 11.3
Last Week: FG% - 50.8%, 3P% - 25.0%, SPG - 2.0
Overall: FG% - 48.7%, 3P% - 35.9%, SPG - 1.1.
Joel Embiid is leading the odds in most sportsbooks around the world to become the NBA MVP. However, many analysts believe James Harden's presence on the team hurts his case, especially over players like Jokic and Doncic who are playing without an All-Star.
The Philadelphia 76ers are third in the East, just one game shy of the second-placed Milwaukee Bucks and have been stuck in that position for weeks. If the Cameroonian drops some huge numbers and the Sixers improve their standing down the stretch, Embiid's case will certainly solidify.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Previous week's NBA MVP Power Ranking - 1st (-)
Last Week: Games played - 1; Games won - 1; Games lost - 0
Overall: Games played - 59; Games won - 39; Games lost - 20
Last Week: PPG - 36.0, APG - 2.0, RPG - 10.0
Overall: PPG - 29.8, APG - 5.8, RPG - 11.5
Last Week: FG% - 52.2%, SPG - 2.0, BPG - 1.0
Overall: FG% - 54.7%, SPG - 1.1, BPG - 1.4.
Giannis Antetokounmpo might suffer from voter fatigue, but his case for winning his third NBA MVP trophy is solid. He is averaging career-highs in scoring and assists with improved shooting from the free-throw and three-point line.
Antetokounmpo is tied with Embiid for the league-leader in scoring and might be the first big man to win the scoring title since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. The Milwaukee Bucks are second in the East and have a better record than every other candidate's team in this ranking.
The Bucks are 5-7 without him and 39-20 with him on the floor, proving his importance to this side. Antetokounmpo's improved passing and shooting has most people believing that Milwaukee will repeat as NBA champions as well.
