Analyzing Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2023-24 MVP case against other candidates

2. Giannis vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has thrown his hat in the mix this season as he has been exceptional for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Canadian guard has led his team to a 45-19 record and sits atop the Western Conference. He is averaging 31.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists with two steals and a block per game.

It is always difficult to compare a guard with a big man but both are putting up stellar MVP performances. SGA leads the league with 131 steals and is the total points leader with 1,960. What makes his case more compelling is that he has taken his team from the 10th seed with a 40-42 record to already having more wins. This is a Thunder team of young pieces, and at just 25, he is considered one of the veterans of the team.

Giannis' defensive attributes give him the win in that area, but SGA is no slouch on that end. Rebounds and field goal percentage go in Giannis' favor at 61.5 percent to Gilgeous-Alexander's 54.6 percent, but he does have the better percentage from deep and the free throw line.

The Thunder guard has had a 40-point game on five occasions, with 43 being his season high. Giannis has eight over 40-point games with six over 43 points and a season-high of 64 points. These two are yet to face off this season but meet on the 24 of March and 13 of April, and the performances in those games could decide which way votes swing.

There are such fine margins between these two and Jokic that it will come down to this final stretch of the season where moments and records come into play.