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The 2019-20 NBA MVP featured a duel between eventual winner Giannis Antetokounmpo and the 'King' LeBron James.
In the next edition of the competition, there could be other contenders for the MVP. That is because the likes of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will be coming back from long-term injuries, and young superstars like Luka Doncic could also be in the fray.
However, that is not to say that for the 2021 NBA MVP, Antetokounmpo and LeBron James would not be in the reckoning. Certainly, the duo would be out there in contention along with a few others. In this article, we will take a look at the top 5 early contenders for the 2021 NBA MVP award.
Top 5 early contenders for the 2021 NBA MVP award
As per oddsmakers, there is already an established early pecking order of candidates for the 2021 NBA MVP, with the names at the top of the list not a surprise to any NBA fan. Without further ado, let us have a look at the top five candidates for the 2021 NBA MVP award.
#5 Stephen Curry
Already a two-time NBA MVP, Stephen Curry could be a contender for the 2021 MVP as well because his regular-season numbers are usually MVP-worthy, and he tends to make a positive impact for his team.
After winning his first NBA MVP in the 2014-15 season and following it up with another in the next campaign, Curry's numbers would have put him in contention for the award in the three seasons that followed (except for the 2019-20 campaign when he played only five games).
However, Curry's NBA MVP chances from the 2016-17 to the 2018-19 campaign were hindered because of the presence of Kevin Durant alongside him. Nevertheless, Curry led the team in points per game in each of these three campaigns and led the team in Player Efficiency Rating in two seasons.
With Klay Thompson alongside him this time, Curry would try to return the Golden State Warriors to their 2014-2016 glory years while eyeing another shot at the NBA MVP. Not surprisingly, the player is among the top five contenders for the 2020-21 NBA MVP, according to various odds.
#4 Anthony Davis
Fresh off his first NBA championship with the LA Lakers, the team leader in points and PER in the 2019-20 season and certainly the best defender in the team's roster, Anthony Davis, will always be a candidate for the NBA MVP if he is able to maintain his staggering level.
Of course, the upcoming season for the LA Lakers will probably be different than the last one as the team will look to get into the NBA Playoffs with better regular-season form. The Lakers might have been a little 'relaxed' in the regular season last campaign as they did not feel the pressure to up their game.
Nevertheless, Davis' 2021 NBA MVP chances could be the same as they were last year. That is because he has LeBron James playing alongside him and controlling the team's attack.
Obviously, having the best player on the planet as a teammate is a luxury that no other player in the league has at the moment. However, that makes it hard for Davis to win an NBA MVP unless his regular season is utterly dominant, perhaps more than it was last season.
#3 LeBron James
The King, LeBron James, will surely be in the reckoning for the 2021 NBA MVP award right from the start of the season. A contender for the prestigious award in almost every season of his illustrious NBA career, LeBron James will likely compete for the NBA MVP once again next campaign.
After finishing second in the 2020 NBA MVP votes behind Antetokounmpo, James showed that at age 35 and in his 17th season, he could still go head to head against anyone in the regular season.
As mentioned before in Anthony Davis' case, LeBron James' NBA MVP chances are arguably a bit inhibited by having the former as his teammate. The younger Davis led the Lakers in PER last year and in points per game while being the team's best defender and a clear candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year.
However, being a top-three candidate for the MVP award in his 18th NBA season would be an absurdly remarkable feat for the King.
#2 Luka Doncic
The leader of the NBA MVP list for many oddsmakers, Slovenian Luka Doncic will certainly continue to make the same noise he has caused since he first entered the NBA two years ago.
Doncic, the Rookie of the Year in the 2018-19 season and already a top-five finisher in the NBA MVP votes, is likely to be a huge factor in the 2020-21 regular season for the Dallas Mavericks.
With averages of 24.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game in his two-year NBA career, Doncic has been stunning in the NBA, but it was expected considering the career he had for Real Madrid's basketball team.
His second year in the NBA was unbelievable - 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game in 61 starts - were incredible numbers for the 21-year-old superstar.
Moreover, his performances against the LA Clippers in the 2020 NBA Playoffs has probably positively impacted his chances for the 2021 NBA MVP award, with many oddsfmakers expecting him to become the latest first-time winner of the NBA MVP.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Winning the NBA MVP award three years in a row is definitely one of the toughest feats to achieve in the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning two-time NBA MVP, will have that chance in the 2020-21 season, but the going is not expected to be easy for him.
Not the outright favourite at this early stage, Antetokounmpo could be the fourth player in NBA history to win the MVP award in three consecutive years, Bill Russell (1961-1963), Wilt Chamberlain (1966-1968) and Larry Bird (1984-1986) being the others.
Antetokounmpo's case, assuming he stays in Milwaukee, will only be enhanced by the supporting cast he has with the Bucks. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is a stat machine who established a new record for PER in a single season (31.86 in the 2019-20 campaign) to beat Wilt Chamberlain's previous record (31.82) from the 1962-63 season.
A similar season from Antetokounmpo, with the Bucks again likely to be among the winningest teams in the NBA, might result in the Greek Freak winning the 2021 NBA MVP award.
However, voters may not go for Antetokounmpo if his Playoffs performances do not improve this season because as per NBA rumors, there are 'narrative' voters who might be looking at things differently when deciding for the 2021 NBA MVP.
Also read: 3 reasons why the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry could win the 2021 NBA MVP award.
Guess the Lakers players!
