ESPN DigitalReading: 7 min.
For the second time in 71 years, the NBA All-Star break will take place in Salt Lake City, the official home of the Utah Jazz.
The last time the event was held there was in 1993, when the legendary Jazz duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton jointly clinched the MVP award, leading the West to a 135-132 overtime victory over the East.
But as the festivities kick off, we at ESPN Digital pick up the NBA’s midseason stocks. Who has been the Most Valuable Player so far? And the surprise team?
Our experts answer those and more questions.
PS: For the sixth consecutive year, LeBron James was named captain of the ‘ASG’. The ‘King’ has been captain every time and has never lost, with a 5-0 record. Instead, Giannis Antetokounmpo is captain for the third time.
1- In the middle of the NBA season, who is the MVP?
Hiram Martinez, ESPN Digital: Nikola Jokic. By definition, the MVP combines extraordinary numbers with an effect on team performance. And as of the last time I read, Jokic is averaging a triple double (24.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 10.1 assists per game), shooting 63.2% from the field, 39.1% from 3-point range, and the Nuggets go into the All-Star break with balance. from 40-18. His numbers are better than in the previous two seasons in which he also won the award, so right now, the MVP should be in his hands.
Marcelo Bousquet, ESPN Digital: At this point in the season there are several names competing for this award. It amazes me that at 38 years old LeBron James is still at such a level, in addition to having surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s points record, but his team does not reach the top 10 in the west. I’m excited about Doncic, not to mention Giannis Antetokounmpo who continues to show his dominant power. But when it comes to choosing, I name Nikola Jokic again: not only does he average a triple double in points, rebounds and assists, but he is the leader and conductor of that fine-tuned orchestra called the Denver Nuggets who, by the way, have the best brand of the wild west.
Víctor O. López, ESPN Digital: Without a doubt, Nikola Jokic, who has Denver at the top of the West averaging a triple-double, after flirting with the brand the previous two seasons … when he was MVP as well. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Ja Morant all had their moments during the first half when they emerged as leaders or serious contenders for the award, but currently, the award belongs to the Nuggets center, and the bet is that he will join Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird as the only players in NBA history to be MVPs three consecutive seasons.
2- Who is the best head coach?
Martínez: In this category there are candidates for all tastes, from Joe Mazzulla, who took over the leadership of the Celtics in an emergency, to Jamahl Mosley, who has achieved little big things with the modest Orlando Magic. Since the first month of the season my favorite continues to be JB Bickerstaff, who keeps the Cleveland Cavaliers in the top four in the East by making the most of the leadership of Donovan Mitchell and the efforts of support players such as Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and rookie Bennedict Mathurin.
Bousquet: Joe Mazzulla had to grab a hot iron early in the season. Taking the place of Ime Udoka in a team that had just played in the NBA finals as the second assistant coach the previous season, entailed a tremendous responsibility. However, this young coach has shown that the poncho was not too big for him. His team continues to play as well or better than last season. By dint of victories and good play, Mazzulla was able to earn the respect not only of the fans, but also of his players, also responding to the trust that the board of directors placed in him when they put him in charge of the Celtics.
López: Jacque Vaughn deserves a special mention at the helm of the Nets, including an apology for not getting the job in the first place over Steve Nash … we’ll never know what the outcome would have been in Brooklyn. But I’m going with Joe Mazzulla on the Celtics, for helping to stabilize the ship in the runners-up after the controversial exit of Ime Udoka and maintaining expectations (and perhaps exceeding them) with the best mark during the first half of the season, between injuries and the pressure to return to the Finals.
3- Who is the best rookie?
Martínez: Paolo Banchero. The first pick of the 2022 draft lived up to expectations and looks like the Orlando Magic’s new-age player. He’s keeping an eye on the remainder of the season with Bennedict Mathurin (17.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG), who is not only a Rookie of the Year candidate but could get some sixth-man votes.
Bousquet: Paolo Banchero. If he stunned on draft night by being taken with the first pick when many considered him the third-best prospect, he has done much more so this season, proving the Orlando Magic franchise wasn’t wrong in selecting him. Averaging 19.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists, in addition to 0.9 steals, is no easy task. To this we add that his team has 24 wins with 59 games played, when in the previous season he added just 22.
López: Despite a difficult January, Paolo Banchero continues to be the answer here. He’s pretty much been a line from the start, ticking all the boxes as the No. 1 draft pick with the Orlando Magic, and still in contention to be the first rookie to average 20 points per game since Luka Doncic in 2018-19.
4- Who is the player with the most progress?
Martínez: I’m going to cheat a little in this category because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been playing at a stellar level the past two seasons. But the Thunder point guard has made a monumental leap in quality at 24 years old. Under the radar, he’s averaging 30.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists on 50.8% shooting from the field and an impressive 91.3% from the free throw line, where he’s coming with incredible ease: averaging more than 10 attempts per game.
Bousquet: Jalen Brunson has been showing that he can carry the weight of a historic franchise and become the giant of the Knicks despite his short stature. The bet of the New York team signing him for 4 seasons and 104 million, is duly justified with his production on the pitch. His statistics speak for themselves: compared to the previous season, he increased his point averages to 23.9 (+7.6), 6.2 assists (+1.4), 0.9 steals (+0.1) and 3-point effectiveness reaching 41.7% against 37.3% of the last campaign. Amen.
López: I really like what Lauri Markkanen has done with the Jazz, taking a significant step in his sixth season and at only 25 years of age. Same for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the helm of the Thunder. But slightly off the radar is Anthony Edwards, who is serving as an All-Star in his third season and establishing himself as the franchise player in a Timberwolves who still don’t know exactly what they will have with the KAT-Goebert duo.
5. What is the surprise team?
Martínez: Raise your hands those who predicted that the Sacramento Kings would be third in the Western Conference by the All-Star break. Oh, don’t lie. The most encouraging predictions pointed to the play-in even with the presence of a winner like Mike Brown at the helm. But the Kings are in the qualifying zone supported by their offense: at 117.3 points per 100 possessions they are second behind Denver (117.6) in offensive efficiency. They need to improve defensively (115.2, 23rd in the league) for that success to be sustainable, but so far, they’ve surprised us all.
Bousquet: Did anyone imagine that before the All-Star Game, Sacramento would be among the top three in the West? Probably not even in the wildest dreams of the oldest Kings fan this possibility existed. However, the team that has a new coach this season (Mike Brown) is perched on the podium of its conference ahead of the Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks or the defending champions Golden State Warriors. At the moment, he has achieved the most wins of the last 4 seasons and is only 8 wins away from reaching the highest win mark since 2006-07. What a surprise!
López: It has to be the Kings, who exceeded all expectations to place themselves among the top teams in the West, taking advantage of the slump in contenders and teams that were expected to be closer to the top. Sacramento has surprised with its offense that leads the NBA in points per game, but if it wants to maintain its spot in the second-half standings heading into the playoffs, it will have to improve an unimpressive defense.
