Taking stock of the top five contenders in the Kia MVP Award chase
Saturday 21 December 2019 08:05, UK
Jimmy Butler doesn't need your approval. And he's not yearning for any validation of his decision to join the Miami Heat last summer, writes NBA.com's Sekou Smith.
He'll let the results do the talking instead of focusing on whatever labels others try to come up with to define the surprising Heat.
"This is a team of one star?" Butler asked reporters after the Heat ended Philadelphia's perfect home record on Wednesday night. "Who's our star, Bam [Adebayo]? I'll take it. I'll take Bam as our star any day. I ain't worried about what anybody says. We're content with who we are."
This Heat team is establishing an identity as a rugged bunch capable of competing against the NBA's best this season with Butler (and not the vastly improved Adebayo or anyone else) as their biggest star.
Butler can brush aside the praise all he wants. But there is no mistaking he is the main ingredient in the Heat's rise in 2019-20.
Miami has the Eastern Conference's third-best record, trailing only Milwaukee and Boston. It only makes sense, then, that Butler rises up the ranks on the Race to the MVP Ladder.
Butler's laser-like focus on leading this young Heat team is obviously his priority. He has been off the charts in that and overall for the Heat, leading them in points (20.9), assists (6.8) and steals (2.1).
"I feel like I have coached a lot of guys like Jimmy that are adults, that are very serious about winning, about the process of winning," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Ultra competitive. He's a max player. We wanted a max player, someone that would fit our culture and our system."
Last week: No 1
Season stats: 31.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks
Antetokounmpo made it clear who sits atop the NBA's player pecking order with a sterling effort in Thursday night's showdown with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers.
He was the best player on the floor in the battle between the league's two best teams, finishing with 34 points on 11-for-19 shooting (including 5-for-8 on three-pointers), 11 rebounds and seven assists.
In a statement game for both teams, Giannis left the biggest mark.
Last week: No 3
Season stats: 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 1.3 steals
Just another game, huh? LeBron certainly didn't treat it like that.
He did his part in Milwaukee on Thursday night with a yet another triple-double (21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists), but it wasn't enough to lift the Lakers past Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
Last week: No 2
Season stats: 29.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 1.2 steals
The good news is the ankle injury Doncic suffered two minutes into last Saturday's loss to the Miami Heat isn't nearly as severe as it appeared originally.
The bad news is the Mavericks will have to work without him for at least a few more games. Injury was the only thing that could slow down Doncic's season-long roll.
Last week: No 4
Season stats: 38.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.9 steals
Harden deferred to Russell Westbrook on Thursday night as the Rockets knocked off the LA Clippers at Staples Center.
Harden played well (28 points and 10 assists) but Westbrook (the Rockets' "other MVP," as Clippers coach Doc Rivers put it), went off for 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists as the Clippers keyed in on slowing down Harden.
Last week: No 5
Season stats: 27.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.6 blocks
Davis played through whatever ankle discomfort he was dealing with and led the Lakers with 36 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in their loss to the Bucks.
He had a peculiar shooting night (0-for-6 on three-pointers; 14-for-17 on free throws) and didn't look nearly as comfortable as he has been recently. It's clear the Lakers need him at 100 per cent health to be their best.
6. Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)
7. Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors)
8. Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)
9. Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics)
10. Paul George (LA Clippers)
Sekou Smith is a veteran NBA reporter and NBA TV analyst. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
