NBA MVP Chase Quarterly Report

NBA teams have played 19-21 games, roughly a quarter of the season.

My MVP methodology looks only at minutes played plus +/- in victories, so teams that don't win, don't have MVP candidates.

As a result, beginning December 2 I stopped looking at teams when a bad team wins a game, though I'm keeping records of the games I'm skipping in case a bad team makes a run. Unless and until they start sniffing playoff contention, I won't be paying attention to (rare) victories by these teams, all of whom have one one-third of their games or fewer, and have no player in the Top 60 for MVP through December 2 games.

• Bulls
• Wizards
• Cavaliers
• Hawks
• Knicks
• Grizzlies
• Pelicans
• Warriors.

Here's a breakdown of the representation of the Top 60 (actually 62 through ties) by team:

Bucks: 5
Nuggets: 5
76ers: 5
Celtics: 4
Clippers: 4
Jazz: 4
Nets: 4
Raptors: 4
Heat: 3
Lakers: 3
Mavericks: 3
Pacers: 3
Rockets: 3
Kings: 2
Magic 2
Suns: 2
Timberwolves: 2
Hornets: 1
Spurs: 1
Thunder: 1
Trailblazers: 1

What's striking is that, after MVP leader Giannis, the Bucks don't have one of his teammates until #30, although four teammates are on the list. That suggests there's nobody aside from Giannis that the Bucks are relying on even as they have the league's best record.

In contrast, LeBron James, 2nd in the MVP chase, has a teammate at #5 but just one other. This could mean the Lakers are top-heavy, or it could mean the Lakers are fairly strong through the ratation with but with no particular player sharing the load from night to night.

Here's the MVP chase through games played December 2, 2019:

1. Giannis Antetokounpo, Bucks, 18-3, 95 MVP points

2. LeBron James, Lakers, 17-3,  87

3. Pascal Siakam, Raptors, 15-4, 72

4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics, 14-5,  70

5. Anthony Davis, Lakers, 17-3, 68 

6. Fred VanVleet Raptors, 15-4, 63

7. James Harden, Rockets, 13-6, 62

7. Jimmy Butler, Heat, 14-5  62

9. Luka Doncic, Mavericks, 13-6, 59

10. Ben Simmons, 76ers, 15-6, 56

11. Tobias Harris, 76ers, 15-6, 53

12. Jamal Murray, Nuggets, 13-6, 52

12. Domantas Sabonis, Pacers, 13-7, 52

12. Rudy Gobert, Jazz, 12-9, 52

15. Donovan Mitchell, Jazz, 12-9, 51

15. Montrezl Harrel, Clippers, 15-6, 51

15. Al Horford, 76ers, 15-6,  51

18. Gary Harris, Nuggets, 13-6, 50

19. Kemba Walker, Celtics, 14-5, 49

19. Bojan Bogdanovic, Jazz, 12-9,  49

21. T.J. Warren, Pacers, 13-7, 48

22. Lou Williams, Clippers, 15-6, 47

22. OG Anunoby, Raptors, 15-4, 47

24. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets, 13-6, 46

25. Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves, 10-9, 45

26. Josh Richardson, 76ers, 15-6, 44

26. Bam Adebayo, Heat, 14-5, 44

26. Kristaps Porzingis, Mavericks, 13-6, 44

29. Will Barton, Nuggets, 13-6 42

30. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers, 15-6, 42

30. PJ Tucker, Rockets, 13-6, 42

30. Wesley Matthews, Bucks, 18-3, 42

30. Evan Fournier, Magic, 8-11, 42

34. Devin Booker, Suns, 9-10, 41

34. Eric Bledsoe, Bucks, 18-3, 41

34. Joe Harris, Nets, 10-10, 41

37. Damian Lillard, Trailblazers, 8-12, 40

38. Macus Smart, Celtics,14-5, 38

38. Devonte Graham, Hornets, 8-14, 38,

38. Jaylen Brown, Celtics, 14-5, 38

41. Malcom Brogdon, Pacers, 13-7, 37

42. Joel Embiid, 76ers, 15-6, 36

42. Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves, 10-9, 36

42. Patrick Beverly, Clippers, 15-6, 36

42. Marc Gasol, Raptors, 15-4, 36

46. Danny Green, Lakers, 17-3, 35

47. Paul Millsap, Nuggets, 13-6, 34

47. Brook Lopez, Bucks, 18-3, 34

47. DeMar DeRozan, Spurs,7-14, 34

47. Harrison Barnes, Kings, 8-11, 34

47. Delon Wright, Mavericks, 13-6, 34

52. Nikola Vucevic, Magic, 8-11, 33

53. Kelly Oubre Jr., Suns, 9-10, 32

53. Donte DiVincenzo, Bucks, 18-3, 32

53. Taurean Prince, Nets, 10-10, 32

56. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder, 8-11, 31

57. Buddy Hield, Kings, 8-11, 30

57. Spencer Dinwiddle, Nets, 10-10, 30

59. Kendrick Nunn, Heat, 14-5, 29

59. Russell Westbrook, Rockets, 13-6, 29

59. Royce O'Neale, Jazz, 12-9, 29 

59. Jarrett Allen, Nets, 10-10, 29