Another month of NBA basketball is in the books, so you know what that means: It’s time for MOAR MVP POWER RANKINGS!
In case you missed the first or the last edition, remember these rules for my criteria:
1. Team record matters! If a player’s team isn’t top four in the conference, it’s going to be pretty difficult to get on the list — much less have a high spot on it.
2. Stats and impact matter! Being on a great team is only part of the battle; a player must have the stats (and positive impact) to be viewed as an MVP candidate. If a guy doesn’t have a case for an All-NBA team, he *probably* isn’t a serious contender.
3. If a player has another MVP-caliber teammate, that tends to hurt their case unless they’re the clear-cut best player on the team. There’s an obvious exception to the rule at play here, though.
Once again, let the controversy begin.
ON THE BUBBLE
DEMARCUS COUSINS, SAC (20-27)
- I see you, Boogie. I see you. 27 & 11 for a season hasn’t been done since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002-03, which makes Cousins’s season more perplexing.
The Kings are obviously a better team when he’s available, but his immense talent just hasn’t led to many wins. Luckily, the bottom of the West is a dumpster fire. The Kings have slid as of late, but they’re essentially a three-game winning streak away from the eight seed.
DEMAR DEROZAN, TOR (32-15)
- This is similar to the Paul Millsap mention last month since we know DeRozan isn’t winning it, but he deserves credit regardless.
DeRozan is still an awkward player in the grand scheme of things — not quite good enough to be the best player on a title team, too good to be a role player, but his skill set makes him an awkward fit as a second banana.
He still doesn’t spread the floor much, but the way DeRozan has improved his passing ability combined with the way he wills himself to the free throw line has helped him become a terrifying P&R guy. The DeRozan-Kyle Lowry backcourt is, at worst, the fourth-best duo in the NBA, and I’d say DeRozan deserves a small edge over Lowry as Toronto’s best player.
DRAYMOND GREEN, GSW (44-4)
- Draymond Green is a 6’6 power forward who’s guarded all five positions and leads the NBA with nine triple-doubles. He’s a freakin’ alien — and also the heartbeat of a historic Warriors team. It’s a shame he won’t be starting in the All-Star Game because of, uh, eboK, but him getting voted in by the coaches was well deserved.
CHRIS PAUL, LAC (32-16):
- Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook are the league’s most dynamic players at either guard spot. Being ranked below those two players isn’t an insult, and shouldn’t be viewed as much. But man, y’all, Chris Paul is the Point Gawd for a reason!
The man has once again shouldered and carried a larger role while star big man Blake Griffin has been out with a quad injury and, later, a broken hand thanks to an awkward fight with a friend/assistant equipment staffer at a restaurant.
Thanks to Paul’s stellar play, the Clippers haven’t missed Griffin’s scoring pun- eh, nevermind.
5. KAWHI LEONARD, SA (39-8)
PREVIOUS RANK: 3
DECEMBER STATS (11-2): 18.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 49.1 FG%, 47.7 3PT%, 86.8 FT%
It’s important that we don’t overreact here. Leonard didn’t have a bad month; he still shot lights-out from the perimeter, bullied guys in the mid-post area and played stellar defense for the most part. Heck, in the 13 games Leonard played in January, the Spurs only lost twice.
Of course, when those losses happen to be blowouts that come at the hands of LeBron James’s Cavaliers and Stephen Curry’s Warriors, those type of marquee matchups can help boost an MVP campaign.
Leonard had a solid individual outing against Golden State, but what will really be remembered from that game? Probably this:
Leonard also played well in both matchups against the Cavs, but in the second matchup, there wasn’t really a point where he truly made his presence felt to help keep San Antonio in it.
Honestly though, that’s just nitpicking. Leonard, aka The System, is still having an awesome year.
4. KEVIN DURANT, OKC (36-13)
PREVIOUS RANK: 5
DECEMBER STATS (13-3): 28.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 49.7 FG%, 36.6 3PT%, 88.8 FT%
It’s crazy that it took Durant dropping a 40-piece on the Knicks to get his name back out there — at least to the level that we’re used to.
Durant’s having a quietly great, efficient season, has played the best defense of his career and has been relatively healthy after a bump-filled start.
To the point about efficiency, the only players in league history to score as much — and as efficiently in terms of true shooting percentage — as Durant has this year are LeBron James, Charles Barkley, Stephen Curry (this year) and Adrian Dantley.
The Thunder have been one of the hottest teams in basketball lately, and it’s time we pay more attention to them.
3. RUSSELL WESTBROOK, OKC (36-13)
PREVIOUS RANK: 4
DECEMBER STATS (13-3): 20.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 10.9 APG, 2 SPG, 41.8 FG%, 26.8 3PT%, 76.8 FT%
Another month, another ridiculous line for Russell Westbrook. Currently averaging 24.1 points, 9.9 assists and 7.3 rebounds on the year, Westbrook is on pace to become the second player in NBA history to average at least 24-7-9 for an entire season. Oscar Robertson was the first, and did so six separate times.
If this was any other season, we’d be having legitimate discussions about Westbrook being the best player at his position and possibly the entire league.
Sadly, this isn’t any other season.
2. LEBRON JAMES, CLE (34-12)
PREVIOUS RANK: 2
DECEMBER STATS (13-3): 23.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 55.2 FG%, 35.1 3PT%, 73.4 FT%
Through all of the drama surrounding the Cavs this month — from lineup tweaks to coaching changes and all of the Kevin Love hot takes your soul can handle — it seems like we’ve generally overlooked just how good LeBron James is at basketball.
Like, he’s very good. Great, even.
While his numbers this month weren’t as LeSpectacular as we’re used to, it’s hard to sneeze at 23-6-7 with a 55/35/73 shooting split to go along with solid defensive versatility.
Despite the noise, the Cavs are still the best team in the East by a considerable margin with Bron leading the way.
1. STEPHEN CURRY, GSW (44-4)
PREVIOUS RANK: 1
DECEMBER STATS (14-2): 27.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.6 APG, 2.1 SPG, 49.5 FG%, 46 3PT%, 95.2 FT%
It’s pretty much a formality at this point. Despite ending the month on a poor note against the Knicks, Curry once again dazzled fans throughout the month with Vine-worthy highlights and continued to light up scoreboards en route to more wins.
The Warriors are essentially head and shoulders above the rest of the league, and the biggest reason is still Golden State’s small assassin.