Who do you think wins MVP this season? (2025-26 NBA MVP Discussion Thread)

[_NoMas]

You're right! I see he's averaged his 30+/6/5 the past 4-5 games without playing a single minute in any of the 4th quarters lol

Pretty f'ing amazing and now i'm thinking it's somewhat intentional

It does help that he’s on a team that takes an 8 point lead entering the 4th and then goes on a 23-6 run without their MVP. No other MVP candidate has that luxury lol

Those are the breaks lol. Tho, you still give him credit for putting them up 8 to begin with and closing out the close games (HOU and IND).

But honestly, when a team wins 72, 73, 69, etc games... they're probably still a low/mid-50s win team even without their best player. Doesn't mean that player isn't still the mvp, but then it goes back to what is the lens that we're basing most valuable on.

If player A and player B both have the same win-shares and plus/minus for their respective teams (and whatever other comparable metrics), but player A's team wins 50 and player B's team wins 70... i personally don't diminish player B's impact or candidacy just bc his team has a higher floor. To me they're essentially the same in impact, so then narrative-wise i may favor the player B and his 70-win team bc winning is the #1 marketing tool of sports.... unless there is some incredible narrative in player A's 50-win team that can't be ignored.

Yep agreed it can get very subjective. But ultimately if that’s a 70+ win team, it’s gonna be v hard for it to be anyone but SGA, unless the Lakers, Bucks, Nuggets or Spurs get to around 60 wins.

[hagredionis]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

[_NoMas]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

When he stops being 0.5 FTE and actually starts showing up to work, yes we can.

[canada_dry]

SGA plays 3 quarters a game now lol

at mvp level and closes you out - 30 points 12 assist...29 minutes....MVP

Its very 2016 steph.

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[Bornstellar]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

Agree, he has taken over the #1 spot in the early race

[Woodsanity]

Luka has played 4 out of 8 games.... And they have won games without Luka + LBJ.

I don't have a preferred mvp candidate yet.

OKC is currently +18.03 with SGA off the court

Luka has played 50% of games.

Jokic is playing good but looks like he is on cruise control right now so he does not have the points per game numbers.

Giannis is often hurt.

Wemby is great but his team might not win enough games.

Will have to wait longer to get a better idea of whose leading.

[MMyhre]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

Agree, he has taken over the #1 spot in the early race

Per 36 mins:
Luka
38.8 pts/67.2 ts %
7.8 ast/3.8 to
10.8 reb/0.4 oreb
1.2 stl/0.2 blk
League Win Shares rank: 16th.
NETRTG: +5.4 - 82nd percentile
Defended field goal attempts % difference: -2 % 67th percentile.
Defense on court: -3.9 worse per 100 possessions
Offense on court: +10.2 better per 100 possessions

6-2 team win loss, only played 4 games.

Shai
33.1 pts/65.1 ts %
6.8 ast/2.2 to
5.1 reb/0.1 oreb
1 stl/1.4 blk
League Win Shares rank: 1st.
NETRTG: +11.2 - 97th percentile.
Defended field goal attempts % Difference: -4 % 90th percentile.
Defense on court: +5.1 better per 100 possessions.
Offense on court: +7.8 better per 100 possessions.

8-0 team win loss, played all games.

I don't see the argument for Luka with four less games and a worse team win/loss, worse defense and not that much better offense and especially playmaking, where Shai actually has the superior assist to turnover ratio.
It's also a smaller sample size, where he went like 11-11 from 10-16 feet in his first two games, now back to earth with 29 pts on 53.2 ts % against a better Heat defense.
He is very reliant on his three ball to be a thunder storm offensive engine, and right now it's a bit hot and cold. 3-22 in his two bad games, and 11-27 in his two good games. Let's see who shows up when he gets more games played, and it's going to be fun to see Castle defending him.

[CobraCommander]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

Agree, he has taken over the #1 spot in the early race

luka isnt playing enough games.. SGA was avg 40 points as well when he was played as many games as luka.

[CobraCommander]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

Agree, he has taken over the #1 spot in the early race

Per 36 mins:
Luka
38.8 pts/67.2 ts %
7.8 ast/3.8 to
10.8 reb/0.4 oreb
1.2 stl/0.2 blk
League Win Shares rank: 16th.
NETRTG: +5.4 - 82nd percentile
Defended field goal attempts % difference: -2 % 67th percentile.
Defense on court: -3.9 worse per 100 possessions
Offense on court: +10.2 better per 100 possessions

6-2 team win loss, only played 4 games.

Shai
33.1 pts/65.1 ts %
6.8 ast/2.2 to
5.1 reb/0.1 oreb
1 stl/1.4 blk
League Win Shares rank: 1st.
NETRTG: +11.2 - 97th percentile.
Defended field goal attempts % Difference: -4 % 90th percentile.
Defense on court: +5.1 better per 100 possessions.
Offense on court: +7.8 better per 100 possessions.

8-0 team win loss, played all games.

I don't see the argument for Luka with four less games and a worse team win/loss, worse defense and not that much better offense and especially playmaking, where Shai actually has the superior assist to turnover ratio.
It's also a smaller sample size, where he went like 11-11 from 10-16 feet in his first two games, now back to earth with 29 pts on 53.2 ts % against a better Heat defense.
He is very reliant on his three ball to be a thunder storm offensive engine, and right now it's a bit hot and cold. 3-22 in his two bad games, and 11-27 in his two good games. Let's see who shows up when he gets more games played, and it's going to be fun to see Castle defending him.

this isn't close on most boards...SGA is in the pole position...winning more games, playing more games with all world stats...vs luka playing at the highest offensive level since maybe freaking wilt but missing games....

if luka qualifies and avg 40 there is no question he wins...but does anyone think thats gonna hold? No... but what SGA is doing he has done for 3 straight years... SGA is the champion and reigning mvp that is doing for the 3rd straight year what he does...just plays great ball, with no drama, and wins games...unless wemby goes nuts...sga is going back to back

[CobraCommander]

Considering Luka is averaging 41.3 ppg / 11.5 rpg / 8.3 apg the only discussion we should be having is whois currently in second.

When he stops being 0.5 FTE and actually starts showing up to work, yes we can.

everyone is saying the same thing...but I don't think Luka is going to qualify at this rate.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Luka has played half the games, he won’t be qualifying, and is currently 4th.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

I have giannis first at the moment

[AleksandarN]

Jokic starting to come alive. He will be in first in no time. Going to be the first since Wilt to lead the league in assists as a center. He also break the record of triple doubles in a season

[AleksandarN]

Read on Twitter

[BigGargamel]

Jokic is 3 rebounds in one game and one assist in another game away from having a triple double in every game this season. He just keeps getting better. Back to back 30 point games, 2 steals per game. He's just so consistently unbelievable, people don't even talk about it anymore.

As far as team record, Denver had decent fourth quarter leads in both losses this year. This is a team that could definitely win 55 games.

Best player in the world, still.

[ball_takes23]

Jokic is 3 rebounds in one game and one assist in another game away from having a triple double in every game this season. He just keeps getting better. Back to back 30 point games, 2 steals per game. He's just so consistently unbelievable, people don't even talk about it anymore.

As far as team record, Denver had decent fourth quarter leads in both losses this year. This is a team that could definitely win 55 games.

Best player in the world, still.

the problem Jokic has is he can win 55 games and still be 15 games behind Shai. If Den can stay within single digit games of OKC he as a really good shot, but if OKC wins 69+ games with the numbers he averages it will be tough for anybody to stop an SGA repeat.

[RB34]

An absurd stat line by Joker in the win.

Let’s be real there’s a couple players out there that if they had this line people would lose their minds. Joker does it and nobody bats an eye.

[Manimal]

Another absurd Jokic stat.

"Tonight was Nikola Jokic’s 78th career game leading BOTH teams in points, rebounds and assists.

That’s the most such games by any player since the 1976 NBA-ABA merger, 10 more than the next closest player (LeBron James - 68)."

[guynumber45]

Jokic starting to come alive. He will be in first in no time. Going to be the first since Wilt to lead the league in assists as a center. He also break the record of triple doubles in a season

If Jokic couldn't get MVP last year, I don't really see how they give it to him this year. His counting stats won't be as bonkers compared to last year because he isn't forced to play every minute now with the new bench.

Only way I can see Jokic swaying voters is if he breaks the TS% record for a 25+ppg scorer(Which is definitely on the table) and if the Nuggets get the #1 seed(Much harder with how good OKC has been looking)

[ball_takes23]

Wemby's offensive consistency is just not there yet to compete for MVP, his bad games are bad bad especially compared to the other 4 contenders. He still has yet to develop that go to move or shot that he can rely on even on the bad nights.