Milwaukee Bucks Roundtable: Confidence approaching All-Star break

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo is widely viewed as being in pole position to repeat as MVP. Do you think he will do it, and who might pose him the greatest challenge the rest of the way?

DL: Giannis should repeat as the MVP. Most advanced metrics suggest he’s been the best player in the league this season, and the gap between he and the rest of the field has only grown in recent weeks. Throw in the fact that the Bucks are basically lapping the field right now record-wise, and it becomes even harder to argue on behalf of someone else getting the award over him.

His biggest threat for MVP is Luka Doncic. He may have missed a few weeks due to injury, but the level he’s playing at has helped Dallas emerge as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference. If Luka can get Dallas into position to be a top two or three seed in the West while averaging 30-10-10 he could make it close, especially if Milwaukee or Giannis were to regress.

RD: Giannis Antetokounmpo: two-time, back-to-back MVP

I really think that Giannis has run away with his second MVP this season. He is averaging better numbers this season than he did last season when he won the award for a first time. Granted, the season is only half over and numbers can change, but Giannis and his stats are legit. He is a bona fide scorer and is improving in a variety of areas. One of the biggest improvements in Giannis’ game is his ability and willingness to shoot the three. I remember a moment in the playoffs last year when Shaq said that if Giannis can develop a three, no one in the league will be able to stop him, and we are seeing that come into fruition this season. Giannis is pulling up from three and hitting catch and shoot three-pointers like he has been doing it his entire career. I’m not saying Giannis deserves an invite to the 3-point contest on All-Star weekend, yet, but he is definitely more comfortable with it.

In terms of a possible challenger to Giannis’ second straight MVP season, I see two names, LeBron James and Luka Doncic. LeBron, in his 16th season, is putting up unreal numbers and has led the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference and the second-best record overall. He is putting together a season that not many players in their 16th year could do and is climbing up leaderboard after leaderboard.

Doncic is another player that I feel could give Giannis a run for his money. Doncic has led the Dallas Mavericks to a 27-15 season, good enough for fifth in the West. I know the record isn’t the greatest but the leadership that is coming from a second-year player is truly remarkable. Doncic has led his team to some pretty big wins this season. In the end, I feel like the award is Giannis’ to lose but it would be ignorant to count out King James or Luka.

JC: Yes, if Giannis stays healthy and continues his current play, he will be the MVP again this season. There are four current players that even come remotely close to being in the picture of MVP. I would say James Harden, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis are those four players.

The Dallas Mavericks have come back down to earth after their scorching start had them at one point being the third seed in the west. Luka Doncic has continued to be a dominant force with his dynamic play, but unless Dallas cracks over 55 wins I do not think he will be a threat to Giannis for MVP.

The Rockets and James Harden are in the same boat while they currently sit at the sixth seed in the West. James Harden undoubtedly has the stats to be competitive in MVP talks, but not the record to compare to the likes of Giannis and the Bucks.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis hurt each other in the MVP conversation, in my mind. If there is a debate on who the MVP is on that team, then neither should be the winner of the MVP award at the end of the year. All in all, Giannis is putting up historic numbers and is running away with the 2020 MVP award more and more each game.

BO: Giannis is going to win the MVP again. The Bucks have a great chance at having the league’s best record, and if Giannis continues at this pace, he’ll have the most efficient season ever recorded via PER. His numbers per 36 minutes are off the charts. I haven’t even mentioned his defense, where by the way, he’s dominating in the paint, protecting the rim. The MVP race shouldn’t be close.

James Harden is his closest competitor based on stats, but I don’t think anyone wants to award him for the way he plays. So that leaves LeBron James and Luka Doncic as competitors two and three. LeBron is leading the Lakers to the best record in the West, and Doncic is putting the Mavs on his back. Both have been impressive, but neither will trump Giannis. Winning matters too much, and Giannis will have that in his favor.

JT: At this point, it seems like MVP is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s honor to lose. Even with his minutes workload tapering off for the second straight season, the level of production he’s averaging on a nightly basis rises to greater heights. Between that and the Bucks’ overwhelming success for the second straight year, it’s hard to believe anyone else is more worthy than Antetokounmpo to take the NBA’s top individual feat.

As far as his challengers go, certainly James Harden is nearing a historic level of scoring yet again, but the Rockets aren’t appreciably better than what they were last year at this point in the season. It’s hard to overlook the Bucks’ nearest competitor, record wise, across both conferences, that being the Los Angeles Lakers. But the two-headed monster that is LeBron James and Anthony Davis will naturally lead to some debate over who is more impactful to the Lakers’ big turnaround this season. Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is deserving of consideration, but it’s hard to see his candidacy being a more credible threat without the Mavericks rising within the top 4 in the West, at the very least.

AM: Not only does Giannis’ biggest MVP rival play on the same team as him but, incredibly, he plays at the same position too! Ersan Ilyasova built on his incredibly impressive individual play at the World Cup in the summer, and now he is the lynchpin on the league’s best team. Not only is his production impressive, but really it’s the grace with which he does it that has no parallel.

(In all seriousness, this is Giannis’ award. I’m not all that interested in or compelled by any other non-LeBron James contender at this point either. Luka’s injury took the steam out of the Mavs, and that has taken a lot of the momentum out of his individual campaign too.)