Joel Embiid prevented Nikola Jokić from winning his third consecutive MVP title last season. However, this year, the Denver Nuggets’ superstar is the clear frontrunner to win the award, which would place him in a select group of players who have achieved three MVP victories.Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James are the exclusive individuals in the history of the league who have raised the recently renamed Michael Jordan Trophy on three or more occasions. Jokić, who is currently a -150 favourite, is poised to become the eighth player to achieve a three-time victory.The current recipient of the Finals MVP award must face competition from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+250), Giannis Antetokounmpo (+650), and Luka Dončić (+750). Antetokounmpo might possibly become a member of the club described above, as he achieved consecutive MVP awards just before Jokić. Gilgeous-Alexander and Dončić have both achieved top-five placements in the MVP rankings, however neither player has come particularly close to securing the honour. This season, there is a possibility of a change occurring since the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by SGA, are competing for the top seed in the Western Conference. Additionally, Dončić is approaching his first scoring title.Jokić’s remarkable statistics and superb advanced metrics strongly bolster his claim as the premier player in the league. His scoring average has rebounded to 26.1 points per game, having previously fallen below 25 in the previous season. Jokić’s rebound average of 12 and assist average of 8.9 are the second-highest in his illustrious career. He is now ranked first in the NBA in both VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) and box plus/minus for the fourth consecutive year. Additionally, he has only missed two games out of the total number of games played.

The Nuggets, with a record of 36–19, are now competing with the Minnesota Timberwolves (38–16), Thunder (37–17), and Los Angeles Clippers (36–17) for the top position in the Western Conference. Despite Denver finishing first in the conference last season, Jokić, who had previously won the MVP award two years in a row, did not win it again. This was despite his team’s sixth- and third-place finishes in the prior seasons.

Oklahoma City is now on track to have its most successful season in ten years, largely due to the exceptional performance of Gilgeous-Alexander. If he continues to excel, he has the potential to become the team’s first Most Valuable Player (MVP) recipient since Kevin Durant in 2014. Gilgeous-Alexander ranks third in the league in scoring, averaging 31.1 points per game, and holds the top position in steals with 2.2 per game. Jokić has consistently topped the charts in win shares and offensive win shares, outperforming all other players in both categories over the past three years.

Gilgeous-Alexander exhibits exceptional scoring efficiency in the NBA, boasting impressive shooting percentages of 55% from the field, 37% from beyond the arc, and 88% from the free-throw line. Additionally, he currently holds the top position in the league for the highest number of successful free throws made. He has only missed one game throughout the whole season, earning him his second consecutive selection as an All-Star and his first time starting the game.Antetokounmpo has carried the Milwaukee Bucks despite two coaching changes and a significant summer overhaul, which included the addition of Damian Lillard. His scoring and rebounding statistics have somewhat decreased from the 2022-23 season, with a scoring average of 30.7 and a rebounding average of 11.4. 

However, his assists per game have reached a career-high of 6.3, and his field-goal percentage stands at an impressive 61%. Antetokounmpo is the top scorer in terms of fast break points (5.5) and points scored in the paint (20.4) per game among all players.The Bucks (35–20) are consistently ranked in the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. However, the Boston Celtics (43–12) now hold the best record in the whole NBA, while the Cleveland Cavaliers (36–17) have recently surpassed the Bucks to claim second place. Antetokounmpo, who has only been absent for two games, is discreetly assembling one of the most exceptional seasons of his career. 

If the Bucks can reorganise under the leadership of coach Doc Rivers after the All-Star break, they have a strong chance of finishing with the second-highest record in the Eastern Conference and one of the most impressive records in the entire league.Dončić is also producing exceptional statistics reminiscent of those seen in video games. He now holds the highest scoring average in the league with 34.2 points per game, and he is third in assists with an average of 9.5, both of which are the highest averages he has achieved during his career. Dončić’s three-point shooting accuracy has reached 37.5%, which is the most he has ever achieved. He utilised this enhanced ability to shoot from long range to score a career-high of 73 points in late January, making it the fourth-highest individual scoring performance in the history of the NBA. Nevertheless, he has the highest number of missed games among all the leading competitors.

The Dallas Mavericks, with a record of 32-23, are now trailing behind Dončić’s peers in the standings. However, this season has shown significant improvement compared to the previous one, during which the Mavericks failed to qualify for the playoffs, marking the first time since Dončić’s rookie year.Following Dončić, there is a significant decline in odds before reaching Clippers’ standout Kawhi Leonard (+2500), and then there is another notable gap before considering New York Knicks’ guard Jalen Brunson (+6600) and Celtics’ forward Jayson Tatum (+8000), who form a distinct category of their own. Based on the current state of the race in mid-February, it appears that either Gilgeous-Alexander or Dončić, both potential first-time MVP winners, will emerge victorious. Alternatively, Jokić or Antetokounmpo, who have already won the award twice, might secure a third triumph, solidifying their individual legacies.