Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic are the three finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award this season, the league announced on Sunday (Twitter link).
While all three players put up monster numbers, Gilgeous-Alexander is generally considered the favorite to win the award due in large part to the Thunder’s team success this season. Oklahoma City won a league-high 68 regular season games, compared to 50 for Jokic’s Nuggets and 48 for Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.
The finalists for each award represent the top three vote-getters. The winners will be announced at a later date.
Here’s a rundown of the finalists for the major NBA awards voted on by media members:
Coach of the Year
- Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
- J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
- Ime Udoka (Rockets)
Rookie of the Year
- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
- Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Sixth Man of the Year
- Malik Beasley (Pistons)
- Ty Jerome (Cavaliers)
- Payton Pritchard (Celtics)
Defensive Player of the Year
- Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
- Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
Most Improved Player
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
- Ivica Zubac (Clippers)
Clutch Player of the Year
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Nobody wanted Ty Jerome last season?
44% 3pt this season
I’ll be honest and say I was wrong about Ty Jerome
Thunder win 68 games and destroy the entire east minus 1 game and Daigneault can’t even get final 3 for coach of the year?
That’s a bigger shaft than Jokic not getting a 4th mvp. At least he’ll get runner up. Someone thinks the pistons coach did a better job than MD.
I mean, realistically he did lol
He’s a great coach and the Thunder have had a historic season breaking the record for biggest points differential. There’s only three finalists though. Who do you take out? They all had great seasons as well and Daigneault won it last season.
Udoka. The Rockets were a few losses away from being in the play in like all of those other teams.
Uhh did you happen to consider that OKC has the most stacked and complete roster in the NBA? Talk about an easy job! Those teams never usually get coach of the year unless they break the wins record or something.
I promise you there are plenty of coaches that would have had that team underperform, but you are right that this award tends to go to teams that outperform expectations.
Tbf, 68 wins IS still outperforming expectations. I don’t think anyone had OKC having the greatest point differential of all time coming into the season.
But I get your broader point
Kenny Atkinson absolutely did a better job at coaching this year than Daigneault, with a lesser talented roster. Ty Jerome was a 2way guy and he has him looking like an all-star. Daigneault just let his awesome players play and no one got hurt. Daigneault did a great job of that, but that is an easier job when you have guys who should be starting in this league on their bench.
Also, if KD and Steph werent “allowed” to win MVP because the team was “too stacked”, then SGA and Chet should not be allowed either! SGA+Chet are the #1 duo in the league right now.
Id go
Shai MVP
Daniels DPOY
Pritchard 6MOY
Brunson CPOY
Zubac MIP
Udoka COTY
Give me…..
MVP: SGA
Most Outstanding Player: Jokic
COY: Atkinson
ROY: Risacher
SMOY; Pritchard
CPOY: Brunson
DPOY: Green
MIPOY: 1. Cunningham, 2. Zubac, 3. Reaves
Most surprisingly good team: 1. Pistons, 2. Rockets
Most surprisingly bad team: 1. Suns, 2. Siixers
Player Most Deserving of First Championship: 1. Brunson, 2. SGA
Player Least Deserving of First Championship: 1. Dillon Brooks, 2. Jimmy Buckets, 3. Jaxson Hayes
How is Dagnault not a coach of the year finalist?
Ty Jerome is an unrestricted FA this summer. The guy is going to get a nice payday.
Awards for grown ups is dumb.
Lol tell me about it Helen used to show off her employee of the month certificate she got from staples and I laughed in her face. Looking back it was mean but I agree there stupid.
They’re*
Pretty ironic when calling something stupid.
Spoken like someone who’s never won an award
Draymond 100% deserves DPOY, there’s still levels to his game. Unc’s still got it.
MVP… Jokic by a landslide!
All the other awards finalists are messed up, so not even a point to mention someone who should not win it anyway, right?
How is Giannis on this list. Can think of 10 more worthy names. I guess it doesn’t matter who finishes third…
Defensive player of the year was a lock for Wemby until his injury, maybe there should be an asterisk….
Really? We gunna asterisk every time that happens? Like half the awards ever would have them. That’s cowardly. Nope. Just hold your L and hand DPOY to Draymond, who aside from Wemby, is the best defensive player in the NBA.
My picks
Jokic
Bicketstaff
Castle
Jerome
Mobley
Zubac
Jokic
But I expect SGA to win MVP…