The 2023-24 NBA MVP race has been cooking all season. So far this year, we have seen players like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokumpo build a strong case for the league's most prestigious end-season award.
Although those players are spectacular, only some have had quite the season like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Canada's prodigal son and two-time All-Star has taken the league by storm, rising up the ranks throughout the season and becoming one of its best players; building a stronger case for MVP game after game.
BetMGM has Gilgeous-Alexander as a decent underdog at +240 to Nikola Jokic -155.
It seems he has a chance to overtake others like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic for League MVP.
Oklahoma City Thunder: SGA for MVP?
Typically, voters go with the player who had the greater impact on winning. Well, no one has an effect on winning quite like SGA has this season. He is averaging 31.2 points with 5.6 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. In 57 games, he's shooting a career-high 54.8 percent from the field.
He is second in the league in scoring and is a major contributor on the defensive side of the ball as well. SGA is currently leading the league in steals at 2.1 a game.
Gilgeous-Alexander became a master of deflections and has improved on defense, an area where he has struggled in the past.
His playmaking ability has also seen a big jump. Throughout the season, he has been able to improve the players around him by finding Jalen Williams for a wide-open dunk or Chet Holmgren for a wide three.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder Take the NBA by Storm
The Thunder have won 41 games ahead of their matchup against the lowly San Antonio Spurs. Oklahoma City is 41-17, beating the Spurs ties them for the best record in the West. Thanks to SGA, they have shocked many this season, taking a massive jump in the Western Conference standings.
After the All-Star break, the Thunder are currently in second place in the West, only 1.5 games behind the Wolves. They are ahead of the Denver Nuggets by three games as all three teams are fighting for the top spots in the Western Conference.
They went on a hot stretch that saw the team pick up victories throughout December and January, including wins against the reigning NBA Champions twice, a 19-point victory against the Clippers, and a 23-point win against the Timberwolves.
They have already surpassed their last season record of 40-42 and are projected to finish with 58 wins on the season, according to Basketball Reference.
If the Thunder finish with the number one seed, it would be hard to rule SGA out as the MVP of the 2023-24 NBA season.
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