Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

MVP straw poll: Is a Giannis repeat in the works?

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 04 December 2019 06:57

The NBA season reaches its quarter pole this week, and a new world order has begun to establish itself. The Golden State Warriors are no longer juggernauts. The Los Angeles Lakers might be. The Zion Williamson era ... is on hold.

But amid all the tumult that has defined the 2019-20 season so far, there remains at least one constant: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Last season's Most Valuable Player is the early favorite to win the award for a second straight year.

ESPN asked 101 media members to participate in an informal straw poll of where the league's MVP race stands as the season moves into its second quarter. It was Antetokounmpo who stood above the rest. The Milwaukee Bucks forward received 48 first-place votes and was the only player to appear on all 101 ballots.

To make the balloting process as realistic as possible, ESPN sought to both balance the voting pool and have it conform to the way the league goes about it in mid-April, at the conclusion of the regular season. The pool of media members consisted of at least two people from each of the league's 28 markets, as well as national and international reporters. In the official vote, the NBA polls 100 media members and gives another vote to fans. Each of our voters put five players on their ballot, with players receiving five points for a first-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote, just like the NBA's system.

Despite fierce competition from the likes of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and James Harden, Antetokounmpo is in the early lead as the league approaches the quarter mark of the regular season.

Antetokounmpo is once again putting up absurd numbers. He ranks in the top five in points (30.8) and rebounds (13.4), is averaging a career-high 5.8 assists and has a player efficiency rating well north of 30. In a typical season, that kind of statistical profile would leave him with little to no competition for the award.

But this isn't shaping up to be a typical season.

James (29 first-place votes, 651 points, named on 100 ballots), Doncic (14 first-place votes, 569 points, 99 ballots) and Harden (nine first-place votes, 444 points, 97 ballots) have produced the individual achievements and team successes that could make any of them favorites in another season. As it is, that trio, along with Antetokounmpo, has separated itself from the rest of the pack in the eyes of potential voters.

James is on track to lead the league in assists for the first time in his career, and he has the Lakers sporting the NBA's second-best record, though with a relatively easy schedule. That was enough to comfortably place James in the ballot's second spot.

The Lakers have a backloaded schedule full of juicy matchups on national television. If they continue to win at nearly their current rate, they remain a top seed in the West and James continues to play this way beyond his 35th birthday (on Dec. 30), his candidacy could gain steam.

It is not surprising to see Antetokounmpo, Harden and James, who've combined to win six MVP awards, among this season's early favorites. That Doncic, in just his second season and not yet of legal drinking age, has already leaped into this conversation is a testament to his brilliant play. Alongside Kristaps Porzingis, he has transformed the Dallas Mavericks into a factor in the Western Conference.

Harden, meanwhile, is within shouting distance of averaging a staggering 40 points per game, a milestone that would give him a strong selling point to take home this award for a second time in three seasons. The Rockets' continuing to play well after an ugly start wouldn't hurt, either.

Beyond the top four, the most interesting subplot has been the contest for fifth. Another eight players -- Bradley Beal, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Pascal Siakam and Karl-Anthony Towns -- each got at least one vote. Three received significant support: Davis, Leonard and Siakam.

Siakam wound up getting the nod, finishing with 52 points to edge Leonard (49) and Davis (38). The fact that Leonard has missed several games (six of 22) was mentioned by a few voters as the reason he was placed fifth or left off the ballot, and Davis could suffer in some voters' eyes from being the second-best candidate on his team.

Meanwhile, Siakam has exploded for the Toronto Raptors, helping the defending champions storm to a 16-4 start and remain near the top of the East.

Rounding out the voting were Towns (nine points), Butler (six), Beal (three), Lillard and Jokic (one apiece).

Read 401 times

Soccer

Man City face 'tough' season after late collapse

Man City face 'tough' season after late collapse

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPep Guardiola said Manchester City are in for a "tough" season afte...

Man City need more than Haaland as season sits on knife's edge

Man City need more than Haaland as season sits on knife's edge

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMANCHESTER, England -- For 75 minutes on Tuesday night, Manchester...

10-man PSG drop to 26th in narrow loss to Bayern

10-man PSG drop to 26th in narrow loss to Bayern

Bayern Munich battled past 10-man Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to Kim Min-...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Giannis out vs. Heat due to pregame knee issue

Giannis out vs. Heat due to pregame knee issue

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMIAMI -- Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for Tues...

Sources: Kings closing in on deal for Crowder

Sources: Kings closing in on deal for Crowder

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFree-agent forward Jae Crowder is close to a deal with the Sacramen...

Baseball

Dodgers split $46M from record MLB playoff pool

Dodgers split $46M from record MLB playoff pool

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- A full postseason share for the World Series champion L...

Starter or reliever? Stay with the Phillies or go elsewhere? All-Star Jeff Hoffman opens up on free agency

Starter or reliever? Stay with the Phillies or go elsewhere? All-Star Jeff Hoffman opens up on free agency

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsJeff Hoffman is one of the most sought-after relievers in this offs...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated