2022-23 NBA MVP Discussion (Pt.1)

[Yuri36]

Btw, before we crown Luka, aside from Giannis and Jokic, there’s also the curious case of Steph Curry, who happens to be the reigning FMVP with a Finals series for the ages.

I really don’t see how Luka has passed him yet.

I love Steph who is most certainly one of the top 10 players of all time (if not top 5 if we consider his impact on the game on a global scale) but if you had exchanged both place in last CF serie, it would have most certainly finished with a sweep for GS....if the Mavs had made the finals which is very far from being sure.

[Ron Swanson]

Again mostly because of his physical freakness, not because he has better defensive instincts (and Luka's defense is actually underrated to be fair).

Giannis is on a completely different tier of defensive IQ than Luka. What is going on here?

Humm other than rebounding (where Luka is really not too shabby considering his athletic limitations) and blocks which are both 90% dued to his godly athleticism (especially blocking), what does he do better than Luka defensively?
Getting steals? Oups Luka is getting around the same despite not even being close to have the same length of hands as Giannis.

Lol, yeah we're done here.

[therealbig3]

Again mostly because of his physical freakness, not because he has better defensive instincts (and Luka's defense is actually underrated to be fair).

Giannis is on a completely different tier of defensive IQ than Luka. What is going on here?

Humm other than rebounding (where Luka is really not too shabby considering his athletic limitations) and blocks which are both 90% dued to his godly athleticism (especially blocking), what does he do better than Luka defensively?
Getting steals? Oups Luka is getting around the same despite not even being close to have the same length of hands as Giannis.

You can’t be serious.

[Statlanta]

I think Tatum is in the lead right now even though, Curry/Jokic/Antetokounmpo are better objective players.

Embiid is fumbling the bag. The award would be his if he simply duplicated last season.

[KazuoOda]

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[bisme37]

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[Karate Diop]

This seems a little early...

[slick_watts]

i'm really pulling for jokic to 3peat but it'll be an uphill climb.

[old skool]

Again mostly because of his physical freakness, not because he has better defensive instincts (and Luka's defense is actually underrated to be fair).

Giannis is on a completely different tier of defensive IQ than Luka. What is going on here?

Watch on YouTube

Zero instinct on what I consider a Top 10 in Finals history
ETA: God damn that block was special. 1 minute left. Series tied 2-2. dunk would've made it a tie game. Giannis in post game interviews talked about how he didnt see Ayton or the ball but just knew he had to get his hand in front of the rim.

Actually, that clip was from Game 4. If Phoenix wins that game, they are up 3-1, only needing 1 game to win the championship.

Before the block on Ayton, Giannis cut off Booker from driving down the right side of the lane. When Booker scooped his alley-oop to Ayton, Giannis' right foot was on the FT line, but he had the defensive wherewithal to pivot and block the dunk high above the left side of the basket.

In one play Giannis challenged the Suns All-Star shooting guard, forced him to give the ball up, and soared to block the alley-oop dunk of their center. Is there any other defender in the NBA who could make that play? Is there any other offensive star who could make that play?

[old skool]

Again mostly because of his physical freakness, not because he has better defensive instincts (and Luka's defense is actually underrated to be fair).

Giannis is on a completely different tier of defensive IQ than Luka. What is going on here?

Humm other than rebounding (where Luka is really not too shabby considering his athletic limitations) and blocks which are both 90% dued to his godly athleticism (especially blocking), what does he do better than Luka defensively?
Getting steals? Oups Luka is getting around the same despite not even being close to have the same length of hands as Giannis.

Luka is a great player, but is generally considered to be in a tier below Antetokounmpo. Giannis has always finished higher than Luka in MVP voting, in DPOY voting and in All-NBA voting. Luka has never finished higher than Giannis in any major NBA award.

The assertion that Luka is defensively comparable to Giannis is absurd. I don't think Luka has ever received a single vote for DPOY. Not one.

[BNM]

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Deserved! In both cases.

There are currently 5 NBA players with at least 100 points through three games. They are:

Tatum - 104
Morant - 103
Lillard - 102
Curry - 100
Mitchell - 100

Of these five, Tatum and Lillard are the only two to lead their teams to a 3-0 start (MEM, GSW and CLE are all 2-1).

I was surprised to learn that this is the first time in Lillard's career that POR has started 3-0. It is not the first time he's had 100+ points through 3 games. He had 105 points through 3 games in 2016-17.

[Genjuro]

Btw, before we crown Luka, aside from Giannis and Jokic, there’s also the curious case of Steph Curry, who happens to be the reigning FMVP with a Finals series for the ages.

I really don’t see how Luka has passed him yet.

from the first NBA season (55-56) to this current season (22-23) - 67 MVP awards have been awarded

of those 67 awards. 2 were awarded to a player aged 34+ (Curry's current age):

98-99 - Malone, 35
97-98 - Jordan, 34

And that happened in the middle of a huge talent crisis. The only MVP-caliber player near his prime during those years was Shaq.

[bradybunch]

i'm really pulling for jokic to 3peat but it'll be an uphill climb.

They'll do anything they can to ensure Jokic doesn't win, but it'd be hilarious if he did.

[Roy The Natural]

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Deserved! In both cases.

There are currently 5 NBA players with at least 100 points through three games. They are:

Tatum - 104
Morant - 103
Lillard - 102
Curry - 100
Mitchell - 100

Of these five, Tatum and Lillard are the only two to lead their teams to a 3-0 start (MEM, GSW and CLE are all 2-1).

I was surprised to learn that this is the first time in Lillard's career that POR has started 3-0. It is not the first time he's had 100+ points through 3 games. He had 105 points through 3 games in 2016-17.

Wait... I don't understand the last part? Do you still mean to start a season... because I feel pretty sure that Lillard's had like 150+ points over 3 games before. He's had stretches where over like 10 games he averages 45-50 ppg.

[brettski]

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Deserved! In both cases.

There are currently 5 NBA players with at least 100 points through three games. They are:

Tatum - 104
Morant - 103
Lillard - 102
Curry - 100
Mitchell - 100

Of these five, Tatum and Lillard are the only two to lead their teams to a 3-0 start (MEM, GSW and CLE are all 2-1).

I was surprised to learn that this is the first time in Lillard's career that POR has started 3-0. It is not the first time he's had 100+ points through 3 games. He had 105 points through 3 games in 2016-17.

To be fair some of the MVP contenders, like Milwaukee have only played 2 games so are excluded from your comparison. In saying that I also agree its fair that players only playing 2 games in the week means they shouldn't really earn player of the week awards.

[HotRocks34]

Lillard leading the pack with the 4-0 Blazers.

Huge surprise team.

[rocketsfan100]

Still think it’s Giannis as of right now with his team unbeaten but Dame is 4-0 with him playing like prime dame time. I don’t think they can sustain it but if the blazers finish high in the seeding in the west he will be a real chance.

[KGtabake]

Again mostly because of his physical freakness, not because he has better defensive instincts (and Luka's defense is actually underrated to be fair).

Giannis is on a completely different tier of defensive IQ than Luka. What is going on here?

Humm other than rebounding (where Luka is really not too shabby considering his athletic limitations) and blocks which are both 90% dued to his godly athleticism (especially blocking), what does he do better than Luka defensively?
Getting steals? Oups Luka is getting around the same despite not even being close to have the same length of hands as Giannis.

Not sure if joking.
Giannis can guard 1-5 in one possession.
He's the best help defender in the world, a team can build an entire defensive strategy around him.
Has Dallas built their defence around Luka?
"Blocks" and "steals"? That's how you rate defense?
If that's the case then Hassan Whiteside should be considered one of the best defenders of the previous decade.
Defense is not a matter of physique. It's a matter of defensive awareness (IQ) and pride.
Let's be serious.

[Alonzo_Morning]

Tatum or Doncic for me

Giannis and Jokic would have voter fatigue

[cam24thomas]

There are so many media-darlings now, MVP will just come down to whichever superstar has a team seeded #1 or #2.
I agree^ maybe voter fatigue will exclude Jokic or Giannis. So the next best superstar (on a top-seeded team) may win it.