In what is quickly becoming the greatest statistical season in NBA history, many players will have historically distinguished seasons this year and not even get a MVP nod. This is because this season is full of elite talents of all time.
There are currently up to 4 players posting odds similar to the 2023 NBA MVP winner, which is something we rarely see in history. In terms of American odds, Doncic, Tatum, Giannis and Jokic post between +260 to +400. American odds is perhaps the easiest formula to understand, to show how much one would have to bet to win $100 or how much they would earn for every $100 bet, the odds are shown using plus (+) and minus (-) symbols. The +300 bet means that you only risk $100, but win $300.
This season would see most all-time records beaten
Currently, six players in the league score more than 31 points per contest. Never before have there been so many players who averaged at least 31 per game. In fact, there are as many players who have averaged at least 31 points per game this season as there have been in the previous 15 seasons combined.
We’ve never seen this in the NBA before, and the numbers are getting insane.
Jason Tatum, who helped the Celtics to one of their best starts in team history, is one of those players fighting for MVP of the Year. The Celtics now have a net rating of 7.7, which is on track to be the best net rating the team has ever had.
Only four players in NBA history have averaged more than 31 points, seven rebounds, and five assists per game: Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kevin Durant. And only Jason Tatum is doing it this season, but he’s still nowhere near first on the MVP ladder because the two players ahead of him are about to redefine the best season ever in the NBA. Looks like.
Only three players in NBA history have been named the league’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season: Michael Jordan in 1998, Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020. This may be the rarest and most amazing player in the world. It can get it done, and Giannis might pull it off again this season. if it is him The MVP’s performance in a scandalously dominant 2020 wasn’t already, it is somehow reproducing those numbers again this year. Giannis is currently playing like a pass between Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan, and it’s become so popular at this point that no one is bringing it up.
And for some reason, one player’s season is better than Giannis’s. Jokic led the league in Win Arrows (15.2), Box plus-minus (13.2), and Above Replacement Value (9.8), and set a new record for the highest player efficiency rating in a single season (32.8) in league history last season. On his way to winning his second MVP award. The previous mark was held by Will Chamberlain for 50 years, with a PAR of 32.08 while averaging 50 points and 26 rebounds per game.
Luka Doncic is on track to overtake Jokic’s record this year. Currently, Luka scores 34 points per game while pulling down 9 rebounds and grabbing 8 assists. No player in league history has ever rated these numbers, and more impressively, Luca is on pace to set the NBA record for player efficiency while averaging nearly triple 34 points, which can, ladies and gentlemen, just be what it takes. Command to win this year’s MVP award.
What about the rest of the players who are having great seasons?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averages 31 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds a game on 53 shooting while enjoying one of the highest PER (28.5) in NBA history. He ranks seventh on the MVP leaderboard.
Kevin Durant averages 37 and 5 games despite a career high. And Durant isn’t even on the MVP ladder right now. One of the greatest players to ever bounce is in the midst of one of the most productive and effective seasons of his entire career and the guy can’t even top the MVP leaderboard.
Devin Booker leads a title fight to one of the best records in the NBA and he averages a career across the board in production and efficiency putting up 28, 6 and 5 games.
Joel Embiid just had one of the greatest regular season performances in NBA history. His 59 points against the Jazz was the seventh-best regular season game in league history. He averaged 32, 10 and 5 a game and is not even on the top 5 player leaderboard.
This season’s MVP race is deeper than it’s ever been, as no player may ever earn more votes this season.
The bar of what it takes to be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player is at an all-time high, and it will take an entire season to win the coveted award.