Hoops Rumors Polls

We’re nearing the halfway mark of the 2018/19 NBA regular season, and a clear favorite has emerged in this season’s MVP race.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has led the Bucks to a 24-10 record (second-best in the NBA) with a +8.4 net rating (first). He’s averaging 26.5 PPG on an eye-popping .581 FG% and has posted career highs in RPG (12.8) and APG (5.9) while also chipping in excellent defensive numbers (1.3 SPG, 1.5 BPG).

By maximizing their roster around Antetokounmpo and bringing in a coach (Mike Budenholzer) who can get the most out of those players, the Bucks have paved the way for their 24-year-old star to take his game to the next level, and he looks like the frontrunner to snatch the 2018/19 NBA MVP award at this point.

We still have three and a half months to play though, and several other viable MVP candidates are looking to challenge Giannis. One is the reigning MVP, James Harden, whose league-leading 32.7 PPG have been buoyed by an eight-game run in which he has averaged a staggering 40.5 PPG. After a big Rockets win over the Celtics on Thursday night, Harden said there should be no doubt that he’s a candidate to win another MVP award, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com details.

“I mean, I receive a lot of hate, but it won’t stop me from going out there and killing every single night, being that dog that I am,” Harden said. “You can name a few other people that should be in the [MVP] conversation. But realistically? It’s coming back.”

Elsewhere in the West, the conference-leading Nuggets have a candidate of their own in Nikola Jokic, according to Ben Alamar of The Athletic, who explains why it’s not outlandish to consider the young center a realistic contender for the award. Jokic, who has always been an excellent offensive player, has made strides on defense and helped Denver post a 105.4 defensive rating (seventh) so far.

Warriors stars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have been as good as ever this season, though they’ll likely split votes and will face an uphill battle if Golden State doesn’t win at least 55-60 games. The Thunder have a pair of stars too, and despite Russell Westbrook averaging a triple-double again, it’s probably Paul George who deserves more MVP consideration at this point — George is averaging career bests in PPG (26.3) and RPG (8.4) while playing solid perimeter defense.

LeBron James had been putting together a strong case for the Lakers before being sidelined by a strained groin this week. That injury could actually work in his favor if he doesn’t miss much time and L.A. struggles to keep winning in his absence. Kawhi Leonard deserves a long look for the NBA-best Raptors, but he has already missed nine games and Toronto has done just fine (7-2) without him.

Joel Embiid has been the best player on a Sixers team stacked with talent, and the same is true of Kyrie Irving and the Celtics. Anthony Davis is also having another monster year, though he’ll need the 15-20 Pelicans to go on a prolonged hot streak to receive serious MVP consideration.

In today’s poll, we’re asking which player should be considered the most serious threat to Antetokounmpo in this season’s MVP race. Place your vote below, then head to the comment section to make your case for your pick — or to explain why Giannis shouldn’t necessarily be the considered the odds-on favorite.

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Four Eastern Conference teams have reached the 20-win mark so far, and all four clubs look like locks to earn spots in the postseason. The Raptors (23-9) still hold the lead in the standings, followed by the Bucks (20-9), Pacers (20-10), and Sixers (20-12).

That group of four doesn’t include the team that many observers expected to be the East’s top seed in 2018/19, but the Celtics (18-11) have come on strong lately, winning eight straight games before falling to Detroit on Saturday. That eight-game win streak didn’t exactly come against the most difficult stretch of their schedule, but the C’s still look like a surefire bet to make the playoffs.

That leaves us with five postseason locks in the East, with three spots available. No other team in the conference is currently above .500, so it’s probably too early to pencil in any clubs for the No. 6, No. 7, or No. 8 seed.

The contenders include…

• Pistons (14-14): Blake Griffin is having perhaps the best year of his career so far, but he might need a little more help, as Detroit has lost seven of eight games since starting 13-7.
• Hornets (14-15): Like Griffin in Detroit, Kemba Walker is carrying his team to a playoff spot for now, but may need more from his supporting cast to hang onto that spot. Charlotte has hovered right around .500 all season, never going more than one game over or two games under.
• Magic (14-15): New head coach Steve Clifford has the Magic playing hard and exceeding expectations, with Nikola Vucevic having a huge season so far. Still, there are holes on the roster, including at point guard.
• Heat (13-16): Miami has invested heavily in several players who are just good, not great, and some of those players are having a hard time staying healthy. There’s talent and depth on the roster, but no real star power.
• Nets (13-18): Brooklyn appeared to be headed toward the bottom of the NBA’s standings after losing Caris LeVert to a major foot injury, but they’ve rebounded nicely, winning five games in a row since falling to 8-18.
• Wizards (12-18): The Wizards got off to a 2-9 start and have appeared on the verge of turning the corner multiple times since then. However, they recently endured another four-game losing streak and remain well below .500. Their trade for Trevor Ariza signals that they still believe they’re a playoff team in a weak conference.

Given how weak the back half of the Eastern Conference has been so far this season, perhaps the Knicks (9-23), Cavaliers (7-23), Bulls (7-24), and Hawks (6-23) shouldn’t be ruled out of the playoff hunt, but it’s hard to imagine any of those clubs making a serious second-half run.

What do you think? Which of these relatively uninspiring clubs will join the Raptors, Bucks, Pacers, Sixers, and Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoffs when April rolls around?

Vote for your three choices below, then head down to the comment section to weigh in.

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Over the last month, a number of teams have – if only briefly – held the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets, Clippers, Grizzlies, and Trail Blazers have all been the top team in the West for at least a day, and the Thunder actually currently lead the conference by a mere percentage point.

Despite the fluctuating standings, there’s still little doubt that the Warriors are the clear-cut No. 1 team in the West. They’ve battled injuries, but with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green back in action, the Dubs are in the midst of a four-game winning streak and appear to be hitting their stride — and it’s just a matter of time until they’ll be able to insert another All-Star, DeMarcus Cousins, into their lineup too.

While Golden State’s hold on the top spot in the conference still seems strong, there doesn’t appear to be an obvious No. 2 team behind them. Last season, that team was the Rockets, who edged out the Warriors during the regular season and then pushed them to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. But Houston is currently the No. 14 seed in the West, with an 11-14 record.

While it’s still possible that the Rockets will turn their season around and make another deep postseason run, there appear to be stronger contenders for the title of the West’s second-best team. The five clubs mentioned above – Oklahoma City, Denver, Memphis, Portland, and the Clippers – are among those contenders.

The Thunder have the NBA’s best defensive rating and the West’s best net rating, per Basketball-Reference, despite missing Russell Westbrook for several games earlier this season. The Nuggets rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating despite a number of injury issues of their own. The Grizzlies have one of the NBA’s best defenses, while the Blazers and Clippers rank among the league’s best offenses.

Those aren’t the only candidates for the honor of being the Warriors’ most dangerous challenger. LeBron James and the Lakers have recovered from a slow start and are just 1.5 games back of Golden State. The Jazz, who many experts viewed as a probable top-four seed entering the season, have struggled so far, but have a talented roster and one of the most favorable second-half schedules in the NBA.

What do you think? Assuming the Warriors are still the No. 1 team in the Western Conference, which team do you consider the second-best in the West? Place your vote in our poll, then head to the comment section to make the case for your choice!

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