The Greek Freak Vs the King: Covid 19 Season MVP
The Greek Freak Vs the King: With the NBA Season on Hiatus Will We Ever Know Who Would Have Won League MVP?
With the world on pause due to COVID-19, every industry has been affected, including sports. The NBA took the first step in suspending its season after Utah Jazz Center; Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus just minutes before tip-off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 11. With everything up in the air, NBA fans are left in limbo, hoping that the season can continue before the playoffs. While we wait, all we can do is remain hopeful and theorize. Here is my ranking for League MVP
MVP Ranking
Giannis Antetokounmpo
LeBron James
Anthony Davis (Dark Horse Votes)
Giannis and Lebron are at the top of the NBA food chain at were in a close race for that illustrious MVP trophy before the Coronavirus. Photo courtesy of Clutch Points
LeBron James and Giannis Antetounkumpo are unanimous choices for First Team All-NBA, and both seemed to be on a collision course toward the NBA Finals as before stoppage of play. Antetokounmpo has steamrolled the entire league averaging 29.6 points per game, 13.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. The Milwaukee Bucks have been so dominant he’s only playing 30.9 minutes per game, and all of this is on the heels of an MVP campaign that pushed the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual NBA Champion Toronto Raptors. Giannis and the Bucks have been hellbent on erasing that memory, so much so, they became the earliest team to clinch a playoff spot in NBA history with a win over the Washington Wizards on February 23, 2020. In a season full of dominance, Antetokounmpo’s historic season is featured with an 18-game winning streak in which he averaged 32.1 points per, 12.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on 56 percent shooting. Giannis has 50 games with 20 or more points, highlighted by a 50-point performance against Utah, and ten or more rebounds in 52 contests. While the Bucks as a team do outscore opponents by 5.2 points per 100 possessions with Giannis off the floor, they are exponentially better when he’s on it, outscoring opponents by 16.1 points per 100 possessions.
In his 17th year Lebron James has reinvented himself once again. This time he leads the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference.
Giannis’ impact on a game isn’t just reserved to the offensive end. His energy and relentlessness have already garnered two consecutive All-Defensive selections, including a top-three finish in the 2019 Defensive Player of The Year voting. Antetokounmpo is currently leading a Bucks team that ranks first in the league in Defensive Rating and Fourth in Opponents points per game. According to Cleaningtheglass.com, the all-world big man shifts Milwaukee’s defensive rating to a stifling 98 points per possession, and according to NBA.com, opponents are shooting 36.1 percent when guarded by Giannis, which ranks first in the league. With the Bucks on pace for 70 wins with 17 games to play, it is Giannis’ award to lose, but it is far from over.
The reigning NBA MVP was poised to land another award this year. Although his primary goal is a Championship. Photo courtesy of NY Times
After playing a career-low 55 games due to a groin injury and missing the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons, LeBron James has had a resurgence this season with his new running mate Anthony Davis. The duo has led the Los Angeles Lakers to the best record out west. In year 17, James is leading the league in assist (10.6) while averaging 25.7 points per game. While James’ all-around play is nothing new, LeBron has run the point guard position almost exclusively. His assists account for over 26 points per game. The Lakers’ offensive rating is at 114.3, according to NBA.com, when LeBron is on the floor. The 4x league MVP has ten plus assists in 38 contests. In terms of marquee performances, the #WashedKing’sperformance over the weekend of March 6-10 for games against the Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers moved the needle just enough to legitimize a Most Valuable Player “argument.” Still, I believe that his running mate Anthony Davis may take some MVP votes away from him. Much of the argument for James will be based on the team’s plus-minus when he is off the floor. The Lakers are a plus-10.4 net rating with James on the floor and have a minus -1.0 net rating when he is off the floor; this is compared to a Bucks team that has the depth to outscore opponents with Giannis off the floor.
The race for MVP couldn’t be tighter. Lebron and Giannis guard each other before the Covid 19 epidemic made headlines. Photo courtesy of CBS
James’ ability to stabilize the Lakers in year 17 cannot be understated. On a team with a lack of depth on the perimeter, James’ presence has brought the best out of players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, and Alex Caruso. Much of what the Lakers built centered around LeBron and Davis, but only after striking out in the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes. Much of what Lakers GM Rob Pelinka focused on was solidifying the team’s outside shooting and interior defensive with the additions of Davis and Dwight Howard. Still, the perimeter sorely lacks with playmaking as Rajon Rondo has been a shell of himself, often injured this year, and only averaging 3.0 assists as the primary backup point guard. Quinn Cook sparingly plays, and the Lakers have looked to the addition of Dion Waiters to add to their scoring prowess for the stretch run of the regular season, only to see it suspended for the time being. Because James’ style of play is so integral to team success, they tend to be overly reliant on functioning. The Lakers being outscored by 11.4 points while James is out of the game only emphasizes James’ influence on a game, even at an advanced age. His IQ has been lauded over for years, but now more than ever, we see his ability to be elite without consistent explosion. He is the engine that allows this team to function at full capacity, but in year 17, James has shown he needs a running mate to spell his workload at times so he can run at full strength when it matters most; this is where Anthony Davis comes in.
Both All Stars, Lebron and Giannis have been putting on a show for fans this year before the season was cut short by the Caronavirus. Photo courtesy of CBS
Davis, in his own right, is leading the Lakers in scoring with 26.7 points per game, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals. His season has had tremendous individual heights, including a 50-point performance against Minnesota in early December. Davis also has a 40 point-20 rebounds masterpiece against Memphis early in the season, one of his four 40-point games thus far. The offensive prolificacy alone would be enough of a return on investment, but the defensive side of the floor is where Davis’ impact showcases his versatility. His presence has wholly revamped a Lakers team, which ranks third in both defensive rating and opponents points per game, a stark contrast from a team that ranked 12th in defensive rating and 21st in opponents in 2018-19. His defensive versatility is second to none. Davis has guarded three positions routinely. Opponents shoot 38 percent when guarded by Davis, second only to Giannis as earlier noted. His energy on the defensive end has even reenergizing James’ effort in ways we haven’t seen in the recent past.
Lebron and Giannis both have been captivated crowds around the country for years and will continue to do so. Photo courtesy of clutch points
Changes made to the coaching staff also played a massive part in why the Lakers sit atop the Western Conference. Frank Vogel’s defensive philosophies have permeated throughout this organization thus far but having Anthony Davis in the interior to anchor your defense makes execution a lot easier. Still, in the same breath, we must acknowledge Davis will have to take some MVP votes away from James. What LeBron has been able to do at age 35 is unprecedented and deserves relentless amounts of praise, but Giannis’ peak performance may be too much to overcome.
According to a recent survey media member from ESPN, Antetokounmpo is well ahead of LeBron James with 60 of the 70 first-place votes, but we’ve seen crazier things happen.