Top 5 NBA MVP favorites at halfway point this season

We are exactly at the halfway point in the 2019-20 season and every NBA team has played around 40 games.

Even though there's still a long way to go, a lot of teams have cemented their places as favorites to make it to the playoffs. While there's still a close fight for the last few spots in East and West, a handful of teams have made it clear that they are in it for the long haul.

While basketball is a team game, there are few players who have single-handedly taken their teams to the next level. These superstars are not only dominating with their scoring and defensive abilities they are also helping players around them elevate their game. They keep the team chemistry intact and turn up when they are needed the most.

As we head to the second half of the season, let's take a look at the contenders for the Most Valuable Player's award this year.

#5 Jimmy Butler

Season average: 20.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 6.4 apg

On paper, even though Jimmy Butler is not putting up the best numbers of his career, he is having the time of his life as a Miami Heat. While most top teams are on top of the table because of their 'dynamic duo', Butler doesn't have any star player alongside him.

Jimmy has been the Pied Piper in keeping Miami at the second seed with a roster filled with inexperienced youngsters. Having already beaten teams such as the Bucks, Sixers, Raptors and Rockets, the Heat's unexpected dominance has been the story of the season so far.

Averaging a career-high 6.4 assists per game, Butler is managing the playmaking duties of his team perfectly. Known for his extraordinary work ethic, Butler has set the perfect examples for others on the team. He's also played a huge role in bringing out the best out of rookies Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn.

Though they lack the experience and star-power compared to some other contenders in the East, one thing is for certain, no one would like to face Jimmy Buckets and the Miami Heat in the first round of playoffs.

#4 Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic after drilling another deep 3 pointer against the Brooklyn Nets

Season average: 28.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 9 apg

If you search for a list of records that start with "youngest player ever" to do something, there's a good chance more than half of them will be held by Luka Doncic. After winning the Rookie of the Year last year, Luka is breaking records on a nightly basis and having a season which even he wouldn't have dreamt of.

Averaging almost 29, 10 and 9, the Slovenian has single-handedly carried the Mavericks from being a lower playoff seed to being contenders. If he continues this phenomenal run till the end of the season, don't be surprised to see Luka breaking yet another record and becoming the youngest MVP in league history!

#3 James Harden

James Harden looks determined to take the Rockets past the final hurdle this season

Season average: 37.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 7.5 apg

We can't have an MVP debate without talking about the best offensive player of this generation! And if you thought James Harden was at his peak during 2018-19 season where he averaged 36 points, he has taken it up a notch higher this season. Averaging over 37 points a game, he's putting up numbers unheard of since the days of Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. Though the Rockets are still figuring out their identity as a unit after Russell Westbrook's arrival, The Beard hasn't let anything distract him from doing what he does best - get buckets.

#2 LeBron James

LeBron James is still going strong at 35

Season average: 25.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 10.9 apg

Last year, LeBron James missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and people started questioning whether he has finally succumbed to 'Father Time'. But the 35-year-old looks determined to prove the detractors wrong in his 'Revenge Season' and has already shown that he's still the King of NBA.

Though Anthony Davis has been the number one offensive choice for the Lakers so far, there's little doubt as to who the 'Brain' of the team is. With a career-high 10.9 dimes per game (first in the league), The King is proving he's still the best playmaker in the game. If he remains healthy and the Lakers finish on top of the table, there's a good chance LeBron can snatch his 5th MVP award this year.

#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis is all set to dominate the East yet again

Season average: 30.1 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 5.5 apg

Coming off a MVP season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has done something nobody expected him to do - get even better! Being already an elite defender and an unstoppable force in the paint, the Greek Freak has added one thing that was missing from his repertoire: A jump shot. He recently recorded a career-high 5 three-pointers in a game to defeat the Lakers.

He may not be a huge perimeter thread yet, but his improved jump shot has made life more harder for the defenders guarding him. Led by the defending MVP, the Bucks are on their way to top the table in the East yet again. And Giannis is on his way to grabbing the MVP title, yet again.