Top 5 NBA MVP candidates halfway through the season

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Like we have seen in the past with some of the league’s greatest players in Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, Antetokounmpo seems to be turning into the kind of star you could realistically give the MVP award to every year. Through the first half of the season, Giannis is averaging some incredible numbers, including the third-best mark in the league with 32.7 points, and the second-best rebound average at 12.1. Both numbers are some of the best in his career, and Antetokounmpo is scoring at one of the best rates of his career with his partner in crime Khris Middleton sidelined for a large portion of the season thus far. Antetokounmpo has eight 40-plus point games on the year, and while he may have been fading a bit in this conversation early in December, it’s been his play of late that has him squarely back in the MVP hunt. Following back-to-back 40-point games prior to Christmas, the Greek Freak posted back-to-back 40-point, 20-rebound outings prior to the new year. He followed that up with a career-high 55 points against the Wizards in which he dominated in the paint as usual while also making 15-of-16 free throws. In his most recent outing, Antetokounmpo posted a triple-double with 30 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists. The Greek Freak is the first player in the league to post 200 or more points, 80 or more rebounds and 30 or more assists in a five-game span since Kareem Abdul-Jaabar in 1972. Who knows if this kind of play is sustainable, but if Giannis continues at this rate and the Bucks keep winning, it will be hard not to give him the MVP award.

Giannis is the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972 to drop 200+ PTS, 80+ REB, and 30+ AST over a 5-game span.

Dominant 💪 pic.twitter.com/EcbNzBkVP1

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2023