The NBA is well under way and we’ve already been treated to some stand out performances from players at the very top of their game. The very latest NBA odds have the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors among the favorites to take home the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, but they will need their key men to stay fit.
So, who are the players that are pushing their team to greater heights and staking their claim for MVP. Here’s our list of the players of the season so far:
Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
He finished second behind Joel Embiid in the MVP voting last season, but many felt Jokić was playing even better than when he won his two earlier MVP campaigns. He averaged a mightily impressive 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists, and was shooting a career-high 63.2 percent from the field.
Jokić is now 28 years of age and arguably in his prime with that blend of youth and experience combining to make him a formidable player. Already one of the greatest offensive players in NBA history he will be keen to build on last year’s title triumph and take the Nuggets all the way once again.
His performance in-season tournament opener against the Dallas Mavericks was impressive. A 125-114 victory saw Jokic record 33 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. The fire still burns in Denver, despite clinching their first ever title last year, and with Jokic on form. They will be hard to beat.
Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers
Last seasons MVP winner went on a late season scoring spree that saw him also claim the NBA scoring title. Embiid scored 30 or more points in 65% of his games played, in a season that saw him hitting 55% of his shots and providing 4.2 assists per game.
However, if Embiid’s recent outing against the Blazers is anything to go by, he intends to maintain those super high standards. By the final buzzer, he had amassed 35 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 6 blocks.
Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
He's one of the most talented players in the NBA with his amazing vision, ball-handling, and elite scoring capability - and he’s still only 24 years old! Without doubt, this super talented guy will win MVP somewhere down the line. Will it be this year? Well, he’s started the season on fire and already racked up 49-point performance in a 125-120 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Oct 27. That display saw him hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 26.1 seconds left. Doncic also scored 14 of the Mavericks' final 17 points and shot 16-for-25 and added 10 rebounds and 7 assists in an impressive performance.
Steph Curry – Golden State Warriors
In his first ten games of the season, Curry has already racked up two, forty plus point games in victories over the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans. He may be 35 years of age but there is no doubt that this guy is still in his prime.
The Golden State Warriors went 5-1 on the season with a nail biting (and controversial) 141-139 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first in-season tournament game. Curry finished the game with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals on 8-for-14 shooting from the field.
After lifting the title with the Warriors in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022, can Curry show the young boys on the block that he still has what it takes and bring home a fifth title? With Curry on this form, don’t rule it out.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Antetokounmpo has a new teammate in the shape of Damian Lillard, and while the two are hoping to push their team all the way to the championship, having a MVP rival on the roster can only spur both men to even greater heights.
The Milwaukee Bucks beat the New York Knicks 110-105 in November with Lillard scoring 30 points while Antetokounmpo recorded 22 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Yes, Antetokounmpo stats have dropped over recent seasons, partly due to a series of injuries, but if he can stay fit he is still one of the best players the NBA has ever seen.
The 2024 NBA playoffs will start on Saturday, April 20th and conclude with the NBA Finals, which start on Thursday, June 6th. The 2024 NBA Finals will start on Thursday, June 6th with a potential Game Seven scheduled for Sunday, June 23rd.
