Silent dominance defines Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP run. Discover his unmatched efficiency, clutch heroics, and leading team to the top seed.
The NBA's MVP race is heating up as the regular season is winding down.
Four fanbases representing the league's top four players have taken to every corner of social media to discuss, debate and dissect each superstar's case. Predictably, like anything else in the wide world of sports, the discourse skipped right past friendly, dabbled in argumentative and is firmly now in toxic status.
As an added bonus treat this year, there has been an extra amount of lobbying for the award. Victor Wembanyama was asked by a San Antonio Spurs reporter to give his MVP case and the 22 year old big man obliged. Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has used his pregame and postgame platform to list the reasons why Luka Doncic deserves the trophy.
Three time MVP winner Nikola Jokic is perceived to be fourth in the pecking order this season. The Denver Nuggets superstar has not stated his case for winning nor has he had anyone speak to the media on his behalf.
On Monday night after a 47 point performance against the Detroit Pistons, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was asked by ESPN's Tim MacMahon if he'd like to state his case. The reigning MVP declined. MacMahon posed the question to OKC head coach Mark Daigneault. He too, declined.
As the odds on betting favorite, Gilgeous-Alexander obviously has a great case to reach rare NBA air and go back to back as league MVP. He won't tell you why he should win, so someone needs to do it. So here goes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP Case
1. He has led Oklahoma City to the best overall record and #1 seed all season despite his first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth top teammates missing a combined 150 games. Jalen Williams has missed 46 games, Isaiah Hartenstein has missed 33, Alex Caruso has missed 23 games, Ajay Mitchell has missed 23 games, Lu Dort has missed 13 games and Chet Holmgren has missed 12 games. One has to wonder what the Spurs' record be if De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper and Julian Champagnie missed 150 combined games.
2. He is rivaling Steph Curry in 2016 for the most efficient 30 point season of all time. Curry was the unanimous MVP that season. Gilgeous-Alexander is currently .3% away from matching the Golden State Warriors legend.
3. He is having one of the all time greatest clutch seasons in NBA history. Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in clutch scoring despite missing 22 4th quarters due to blowouts.
4. No weaknesses in his case. Denver is 12 games behind OKC in the standings and there's the question of Jokic's defense. The Lakers are 10 games behind OKC and there's the question of Doncic's defense. Wembanyama has the wins and the defense, but his offense is not yet in the same tier as Gilgeous-Alexander, Doncic and Jokic. There are no knocks in Gilgeous-Alexander's case.
5. Consistency. Wembanyama and Doncic, while great all season, have only come on as true MVP contenders in the second half of the season. Jokic started off great and is ending great, but he had a rough middle patch coming back from injury. Gilgeous-Alexander has been elite night in and night out and the MVP frontrunner all season.