Here are the Top Ten in the NBA Most Valuable Player chase, based only on minutes played plus +/- in victories only, because I think that's the most obvious measure of contribution to a team's success.
What's striking is that if we were to create another list of the best players in the league, it would be quite similar. At least one glaring exception is that Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers is clearly one of the ten best players. But, he has missed 7 of their 27 games. The Clippers are 16-4 with him and 4-3 without him. If Kawhi was healthy enough to play effectively in all 27 games and the Clippers won at the same pace, they would be 22-5 and Kawhi would be in the Top Ten for MVP right now.
But that's the point of the MVP Chase: he has missed those games. Indeed, the reason LeBron has the edge on Giannis as of today is that Giannis missed a game and the Bucks still won it; LeBron hasn't missed any games. You don't get credit if you don't play.
Here's the list:
1. LeBron James, Lakers, 23-3, 117 MVP points
2. Giannis Antetokounpo, Bucks, 23-3, 113
3. Anthony Davis, Lakers, 23-3, 94
4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics, 17-7, 87
5. James Harden, Rockets, 17-8, 85
6. Jimmy Butler, Heat, 18-7, 81
7. Ben Simmons, 76ers, 20-7, 80
8. Pascal Siakam, Raptors, 16-8, 76
9. Luka Doncic, Mavericks, 17-7, 75,
10. Domantas Sabonis, Pacers, 17-9, 73
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