The NBA MVP Chase begins!

 Welcome to the MVP Chase, where I look for, or chase, the best objective criteria in determining greatness without personal subjective bias.

Today's topic: The NBA MVP Chase

Photo: public domain

NBA teams have played from seven to nine games so far, so we can say that we're one-tenth into the 82-game season. And it's never too early to talk about the MVP!

The founding principle of the MVP Chase is that the most valuable player isn't found in cumulative statistics, but in contributions to victories. 

Score 35 points every night but win just 40% of the games? I might put you on the All-NBA team, but I wouldn't make you the Most Valuable Player.

Each sport has its own metrics. In basketball, players are responsible for team play both offensively and defensively. I view a basketball player's "value" as dependent on two factors:

• Minutes played in the game. This is evidence of the value placed on him by his own coaching staff.

• Plus/minus (+/-). This measures how well the team plays while the player is on the court by tallying the number of points scored and deducting the number of points allowed while he's playing.

The two together paint a picture of "value" that includes on-court decision-making and movements that can't always be measured by offensive and defensive statistics.

If minutes played plus +/- (MP+/-) equals or surpasses 40 in a game, the player had a very significant role in the victory.

In the NBA MVP Chase, a player gets an MVP Chase "point" for every victory in which he has an MP+/- of 40 or more. I looked at teams that are over .500 on the afternoon of November 4, 2002. At this stage of the season, here are the leaders:

6 MVP Points

Jrue Holiday, Bucks (7-0)

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (6-1)

5 MVP Points

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (7-0)

Devin Booker, Suns (6-1)

Mikal Bridges, Suns (6-1)

Caris LeVert, Cavaliers (6-1)

Lauri Markkanen, Jazz (6-3)

Dejounte Murray, Hawks (5-3)

Trae Young, Hawks (5-3)

4 MVP Points

OG Anunoby, Raptors (5-3)

Desmond Bane, Grizzlies (5-3 )

John Collins, Hawks (5-3)

Keldon Johnson, Spurs (5-3)

CJ McCollum, Pelicans (4-3)

Chris Paul, Suns (6-1)

Pascal Siakam, Raptors, (5-3) 

James Leroy Wilson writes The MVP Chase (subscribe), JL Cells (subscribe), Daily Miracles (subscribe), and The Daily Bible Chapter (subscribe). Thanks for your subscriptions and support! You may contact James for your writing, editing, and research needs: jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.