As you know, on TrashTalk, Wednesday rhymes with Race for the MVP. And things are becoming more and more clear with just two and a half weeks to go before the finish line. But if there is no change within the Top 5, that does not mean that there is no more suspense at all. Come on, let’s take stock!
Stats : 27.4 points / 3.6 rebounds / 6.5 assists / 47.5% shooting
With: 43 victories – 28 defeats
In tough times due to injuries before and after the All-Star Break, the Knicks managed to get their heads above water to move forward. Thanks WHO ? Thanks Jalen Brunson. Voted Player of the Week in the East ten days ago, the New York leader notably had two 40-point performances (against Portland and Sacramento) and continues to shine night after night. The Knicks thus remain on six victories in seven games. If Brunson continues his good momentum and the infirmary empties (Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, OG Anunoby), NY can believe in the Eastern Conference podium. This deserved a place in the Top 10 for MVP.
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Stats : 24.7 points / 12.6 rebounds / 3.6 assists / 2.4 blocks / 1.2 steals / 55.3% shooting
With: 40 wins – 32 losses
Joining the Top 10 in the MVP Race two weeks ago, Anthony Davis confirmed his current great form. The proof is that he was rewarded with the title of Player of the Week in the West this Monday. His XXL performances against Indiana (36 points, 16 rebounds) and Milwaukee yesterday (34 points, 23 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks) carry the Lakers – to four victories in a row – at the end of the season. This is necessary if Los Angeles wants to continue to believe in the Top 8 (or even Top 6) of the conference. Especially with a LeBron who has a wheezing ankle. Having not missed a single match since the beginning of February and averaging 40 minutes (52 against Milwaukee!) for ten days, AD is on all fronts!
ANTHONY DAVIS BLOCKS DAMIAN LILLARD’S GAME WINNER 🚫
Bucks-Lakers heading for double OT 🍿pic.twitter.com/CuEYIuuLwL
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 27, 2024
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Stats : 19.7 points / 13.7 rebounds / 8.3 assists / 60.4% shooting
With: 42 wins – 30 losses
Domantas Sabonis made history this week. He set a new record for the most consecutive double-doubles since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976: 54 in a row, Kevin Love in the retro! An exceptional regularity to which we must also add 25 triple-doubles (NBA record this season). Under his leadership, the Kings have won six of their last nine games. This remains insufficient for the moment to take a place in the Top 6 of the West, the Domas gang losing heavily against Dallas yesterday. But that doesn’t take away from Sabonis’ historic season.
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Stats : 27.6 points / 6.7 rebounds / 5.3 assists / 1.3 blocks / 52.8% shooting
With: 42 wins – 30 losses
Weird vibe in Phoenix right now. While Kevin Durant’s Suns want to grab a spot in the Top 6 in the West to avoid the play-in tournament, they are letting go of games they are supposed to win: in Milwaukee without Giannis Antetokounmpo, or against the Spurs without Victor Wembanyama. At the same time, KD is being discreet since he has not reached the 30 point mark since March 11. It is difficult in these conditions not to lose ground in the race for the MVP. Durant – now eighth all-time scorer – will have to exert himself during the last ten regular games, because Phoenix has the most difficult schedule in the entire NBA.
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Stats : 26,4 points / 5,5 rebonds / 5,2 assists / 1,3 steal / 46,5% au tir
With: 49 victories – 22 defeats
His monumental dunk on John Collins went around the world, like the fabulous counter he performed in Indiana at the beginning of March. Almost every week, Anthony Edwards unleashes a huge joke on us. But Ant-Man is above all the man who today allows the Wolves to remain in the race for first place in the West despite the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns (and others, like Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid). Four games in a row with at least 30 points over the last fortnight, impacting defense, increasingly strong in playmaking, and five victories in the last six games for Minnesota. It’s well worth a place in the MVP race.
ANT CAUGHT A BODY 💀#RaisedByWolves | #NBA pic.twitter.com/RazP1647e0
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) March 19, 2024
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Stats : 27,3 points / 8,2 rebonds / 4,9 assists / 1,0 steal / 47,3% au tir
With: 57 victories – 15 defeats
Since his failed match in Denver at the beginning of March, Jayson Tatum has raised the bar with his Celtics: 30.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists on average at more than 42% at 3-points for JT, and a big streak of nine consecutive victories for Boston despite absences right and left. In short, a real fifteen MVPs. If the huge gap in Atlanta the day before yesterday (defeat after leading… by 30 points) feeds the few doubts that we can still have about the ability of the C’s to do the job in the Playoffs, Jayson Tatum seems destined to finishing in the Top 5 of the MVP and in the All-NBA First Team.
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Stats : 30.6 points / 11.4 rebounds / 6.4 assists / 1.0 blocks / 1.2 steals / 61.4% shooting
With: 46 victories – 26 defeats
Absent during the shocks against Phoenix and Boston over the last fortnight (hamstring injury), Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the opportunity to make a statement to try to join the podium of our MVP Ranking. He has since returned to torture the Thunder (30 points, 19 rebounds) and unleash a huge triple-double against the Lakers (29 points, 21 rebounds, 11 assists), but that did not prevent the Bucks – finally in full force – to waste a 19-point lead against a Los Angeles team deprived of LeBron James. It’s a task. At the time of these lines, the title of MVP is undoubtedly the least of the worries for the Freak, who especially wonders why his Bucks continue to let go of games that they should win.
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Stats : 33,9 points / 9,1 rebonds / 9,8 assists / 1,5 steal / 48,7% au tir
With: 43 victories – 29 defeats
News of the day: Luka Doncic has not lost a single basketball game since March 5. His Mavericks remain in fact with nine victories in ten matches and the only defeat fell when Luka was withdrawn against the Thunder (March 14). Paradoxically, Doncic is a little less transcendent than usual but he is very well accompanied by Kyrie Irving and Dallas seems to have found the right formula on a collective level. “We play for each other on offense and defense” coach Jason Kidd said recently. The Slovenian’s gang notably hit Denver and Sacramento to settle in the Top 6 of the Western Conference, enough to solidify Luka’s place on the MVP podium.
The Mavericks duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving duo is flourishing 🤝 pic.twitter.com/yWNXYQaZGY
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 27, 2024
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Stats : 30,4 points / 5,6 rebonds / 6,3 assists / 2,1 steals / 54,0% au tir
With: 50 wins – 21 losses
Monstrous in consistency this season and great specialist in 30-point matches, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had a fortnight overall below his (big) standards, as evidenced by this rare breath of fresh air (12 points, 4 turnovers) in the big Thunder loss in Milwaukee the other day. Is it due to a pain in his quadriceps that he’s been having for a week? Maybe. Nevertheless, SGA continues to guide his team and is very well supported by his teammates (Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren). Result: the Thunder continues to win. Five wins in six games for Oklahoma City, which remains in the race for the first spot in the West.
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Stats : 26,1 points / 12,3 rebonds / 9,0 assists / 1,3 steal / 58,1% au tir
With: 51 victories – 21 defeats
The earth is round, 2 and 2 make 4, and Nikola Jokic is the NBA MVP. The Joker quietly continues his boss campaign, stringing together XXL performances, triple-doubles and above all victories. Except for the small road trip in Dallas ten days ago (defeat with only 16 points on 16 shots for Jokic), it’s been flawless over the last fortnight: six victories in six games (notably against Minnesota and New York ), which allowed Denver to regain first place in the Western Conference. If Nikola Jokic stays on such a pace with the Nuggets, no one will be looking for him at the top of the rankings.
Nikola Jokic. CLUTCH 🎯 pic.twitter.com/SUVvOWfTfc
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 20, 2024
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Honorable mentions: Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Zion Williamson (Pelicans), Devin Booker (Suns), LeBron James (Lakers), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Paolo Banchero (Magic)
2024-03-27 19:36:00
#year #American #win
