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The exact moment Kia’s MVP race became a reality last Sunday when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rejected a layup attempt by Jayson Tatum, another Kia MVP contender, in the tense moments of Oklahoma City’s fourth quarter against Boston.
Gilgeous-Alexander then threw a lob pass to Isaiah Hartenstein for a dunk that shook the building and the vibration was also felt at the very top of the MVP ladder.
By all indications, it’s the game of the year (so far) and it allowed the Thunder to extend their winning streak to a franchise-record 15, pushing Gilgeous-Alexander to the top of the standings.
And so, there’s a new leader. Gilgeous-Alexander is worthy in so many ways: he’s No. 3 in the league in scoring and does so much for the West-leading Thunder that it’s hard to ignore his value to OKC or his ascent in the league.
However, keep in mind that the MVP race will likely see changes between now and April. That’s how close Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić are (and you can’t rule out Giannis Antetokounmpo just yet either). Nothing is blocked. In other words, let the suspense begin.
Basically, the way to characterize this career is to say: To be continued.
Setting the stage this week: The Shai Show continues this difficult stretch for OKC on Friday when it takes on the Knicks with Karl-Anthony Towns (No. 6 this week in the rankings) and Jalen Brunson (7:30 p. m. ET, NBA TV ). . Next time he’ll see the Sixers and Tyrese Maxey on Wednesday. This is a wonderful opportunity for Gilgeous-Alexander to develop his arguments for next week’s qualifying.
The stat to know: Gilgeous-Alexander averaged nearly 33 points against the Knicks, Celtics and Cavaliers — the top three teams in the East — over the past week.
What they say: “I love Oklahoma City. I can’t see a world where I’m not in Oklahoma City. Market, there’s no market. I don’t care. I feel comfortable where I am. I love where I am. I feel comfortable where I am. I the other people in the organization like me, the other people around me. It’s the things that matter. I go to paint every day with a smile on my face. —Gilgeous-Alexander, in the so-called dangers of the game in a. small market.
Your case: What a week, month and season for Gilgeous-Alexander. They came close to beating the defending champion Celtics and East-leading Cavaliers last week. Both games were exciting and he played very well.
There’s nothing more Gilgeous-Alexander could do to overtake Jokić than that. If anything, the gauntlet has been thrown and the bigger question is whether Gilgeous-Alexander can fend off Jokić, who will not go quietly, from this point forward. This race will be fascinating to watch, and fun, too.
His case: Before missing two games due to illness, “The Joker” played 40 snaps directly against likely Kia Defensive Player of the Year favorite (and also Kia MVP Ladder winner), Victor Wembanyama.
Jokić remains a consistent, level-headed player for the Nuggets, and if Denver nevertheless turns their season around, which appears to be the case, then he’ll have another strong argument for a fourth MVP.
His case: Antetokounmpo has taken a while to recover from knee problems that arose right after the NBA Emirates Cup championship game, but his B game is better than many other players.
He outclassed Wembanyama in their Wednesday matchup — his iso-defense on Wemby was a much-replayed highlight — which proved that Anteokounmpo can rise to the occasion no matter the opponent. He’ll see Karl-Anthony Towns on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass) when the Bucks take a trip to New York, and then a week later gets Joel Embiid (maybe).
His case: he made 35 problems and 18 rebounds and then 20 problems and 23 rebounds the next night against the former number 1 in the ranking. These matches against Jokić made Wembanyama a serious contender.
There will be a pair of Anthony Davis and Lakers backs coming up, meaning Wembanyama will once again be tested by one of the most productive big men in the league. The good news is that Wembanyama is up to the challenge and needs to compete with the All-Stars and MVPs, because one day he will see his elegance, if he is already there.
His case: he continues to be a constant presence in the rankings due to his consistency, durability and impact. There’s no doubt that Tatum is the explanation for why the Celtics have maximum visibility in the East, even with their depth.
That said, Tatum stepped down from the ladder this week because when the lights were shining in Oklahoma City, he ruled through Gilgeous-Alexander. His blocking of a Tatum layup in the fourth quarter proved to be the deciding factor.
And others (in alphabetical order): Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons; LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers; Domantas Sabonis, Kings of Sacramento; Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder; Trae Young, Atlanta Falcons
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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for more than 25 years. You can email him here, his files here, and follow up with him on X.
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