NBA MVP Chase Update 12/30/2022

 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

My ideal system for determining the NBA MVP (and all MVP) is to rank each player's contribution to team victories on a game-by-game basis. For instance, in one game Steph Curry makes the greatest contribution to a victory, and in the next victory he makes the fourth-greatest contribution. I would tabulate the contributions for every game of the season.

 

I don't have the time or infrastructure for that. I do think, however, that the best shorthand is to add together a player's Player Efficiency Rating (PER) to the number of victories in which he's played. 

 

I look at the top 30 in PER, and then see how many games each player has won.  Joel Embiid, for example, has played in only 15 of the 20 76er victories, so I add 15 to his PER. 

 

A player's PER doesn't fluctuate much from game to game, so a combination of a Nuggets slump and a Mavericks winning streak can see the #1 Jokic and #2 Doncic switch spots.

Here is the Top 20 in the MVP Chase as of the afternoon of December 30, 2022. Each player's MVP Chase score is posted, followed by their PER and Games Won (GW).

 

1. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets 53.8 PER 32.8, GW 21

2. Luka Doncic, Mavericks 51.5  PER 31.5, GW 20

3. Jayson Tatum, Celtics 50.5 PER 25.5, GW 25

4. Kevin Durant, Nets 48.6 PER 26.6, GW 22

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks 46.1  PER 28.1, GW 18

6. Joel Embiid, 76ers 45.6 PER 30.6, GW 15

7. Donovan Mitchell, Jazz 43.6 PER 23.6, GW 20

8. Anthony Davis, Lakers 42.9 PER 31.9, GW 11

9. Ja Morant, Grizzlies 42.3 PER 23.3, GW 19

10. Damontis Sabonis, Kings 41.9 PER 23.9, GW 18

11. Zion Williamson, Pelicans 41.9 PER 25.9, GW 16

12. Aaron Gordon, Nuggets 41.7 PER 21.7, GW 20

13. Tyrese Haliburton, Wizards 41.5 PER 23.5, GW 18

14. Nic Claxton, Nets 41.2 PER 21.2, GW 20

15. Steph Curry, Warriors 40.5 PER 26.5, GW 14

16. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder 40.4 PER 27.4, GW 13

17. Devin Booker, Suns 40.3 PER 22.3, GW 18

18. Lauri Markkanen, Jazz 40.0 PER 22.0, GW 18

19. De'Andre Ayton, Suns 38.4 PER 22.4, GW 16

20. Jimmy Butler, Heat 38.1 PER 26.1, GW 12

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.