The NBA has been brimming with excitement all season long, and the Kia MVP Ladder is here to break down the top performers week in and week out.
In the latest rankings, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers remains at the top spot, thanks to his incredible scoring prowess. Embiid broke Wilt Chamberlain’s franchise record for scoring with a career-high 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs earlier this week. However, he did sit out the fourth quarter of Thursday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers due to knee soreness.
Right behind Embiid is Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, who has been a consistent performer this season. Jokic has been named an All-Star starter for the fourth straight year, joining Alex English as the only other Nuggets player to be picked to start in four All-Star games. The Nuggets return home on Saturday to host Embiid and the 76ers as part of Rivals Week.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder remains in the third spot, having scored 16 of his 32 points against the Spurs in the third quarter on Wednesday. The 25-year-old notched his sixth double-double of the season in that game, after accomplishing that feat only three times last season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is in fourth place, thanks to his consistent scoring and rebounding. Antetokounmpo is averaging a career-high 6.2 assists while shooting a career-best 60.5% from the field. He had a stellar performance this week, racking up his seventh triple-double of the season to tie his single-season high in that category.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics rounds out the top five, climbing up from sixth place in the previous rankings. Tatum has been on a roll, blasting Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks for 39 points and 11 rebounds earlier this week, followed by another impressive performance against the Miami Heat. The five-time All-Star has been consistent all season, and his hard work is finally paying off.
The Next Five on the list includes Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns, Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers, and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns. Additionally, the Kia MVP Ladder also features five more players, including Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s shaping up to be a thrilling season, and fans can’t wait to see how the rest of the rankings unfold.