If the early temperature check on the MVP race is worth anything, buckle up. This one might go wire to wire.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps released his first MVP straw poll of the season, and it’s already a two-man race between Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokic. And it’s tight.
SGA received 57 first-place votes from the 100 media members surveyed, narrowly edging Jokic, who picked up 42. In total points, it was 865 to 822. The Lakers’ Luka Doncic was a distant third.
The edge for Gilgeous-Alexander makes sense. The Thunder are 25-2, best record in the league, and he’s been ridiculous. He’s averaging 32.4 points while shooting nearly 56 percent from the floor and over 43 percent from three, all while playing fewer minutes than he has since his rookie year.
Efficient, dominant, and leading a machine.
Then there’s Jokic, doing Jokic things. He’s flirting with a triple-double average at 29.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.9 assists, shooting over 61 percent from the field. The Nuggets sit second in the West, and Denver goes as he goes.
No surprise here. Different styles. Same impact. And if this pace holds, the MVP conversation might not get settled until April.
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