There is a legitimate NBA MVP debate

Nikola Jokic appears on track to win easily. Luka Doncic, at minimum, has a very strong case.

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

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Pierrot; Pablo Picasso; 1918

Nikola Jokic has been the overwhelming favorite for NBA MVP since roughly the time Joel Embiid exited the race with a knee injury that sidelined him for two months. In ESPN’s Tim Bontemps’ most recent MVP straw poll, Jokic had a commanding lead over No. 2 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, No. 3 Luka Doncic and No. 4 Giannis Antetokounmpo. Since that balloting, Shai has hit a game-winner at Madison Square Garden and also missed some games. Luka has been blazing for the hottest team in the league. And Giannis is now injured for a team that has punched itself in the face a good bit.

Denver, meanwhile, has pretty much wrapped up the No. 1 seed behind Jokic’s brilliance.

This is all to say that since that last straw poll showed a likely Jokic win, only Luka has theoretically made up any ground. Jalen Brunson, a name being mentioned more loudly lately, was No. 6 in the straw poll. He might get a handful of top-3 votes, but I don’t think enough voters are considering him strongly enough for him to crack the top-5 overall.

The question is whether Luka in particular should have been so far behind Jokic in the first place.