The NBA MVP race looks like it is going to be a hotly contested one for the 2023-24 regular season. There are currently three players, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder listed with odds between +250-300.
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks are also listed at under 10-1 favorites at most sportsbooks, as this is still anyone’s race. While those players are receiving the most publicity right now, some dark horses could force their way into the mix.
One of those dark horses to keep an eye on is New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson. He is currently all the way down at 16th in the current odds list, and not even on the board with some books, but is someone who should start garnering some legitimate MVP talk sooner than later.
Team success matters in the MVP race and Brunson is the leader for a Knicks team that is 25-17 on the season and currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They are only a half-game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for fourth place and 3.5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for second.
To this point in the season, the Knicks have struggled against teams over the .500 mark, but they have looked totally different with OG Anunoby in their lineup. Upper-echelon teams that racked up wins against New York earlier in the season will quickly realize this isn’t the same Knicks team taking the court now.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
In the Eastern Conference, only the first-place Boston Celtics and third-place Philadelphia 76ers have a better scoring margin than the Knicks. Only seven teams in the entire NBA have a better point differential than New York, which has been playing like the best team in the NBA since the calendar flipped to 2024.
For the first time in a long time, the Knicks are having team success, which helps Brunson’s case. His own personal production on the court speaks for itself. After a successful first season in New York, Brunson has taken things to another level.
He is averaging 26.3 points, 6.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and one steal in 35.8 minutes per game. The efficiency has been impressive, as he is making 47.2 percent of his shots overall, 42.6 percent of his 3-pointers and 82.6 percent of his free throws.
As shared by Tommy Beer on X, formerly Twitter, he is producing better numbers than several of the candidates ahead of him in the MVP race. Thus far this season, Brunson has scored more points than Jokic and Jayson Tatum.
He has more assists than Gilgeous-Alexander and Damian Lillard. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden don’t have as many 3-pointers made as Brunson and he is shooting a higher percentage than Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield.
His plus/minus ratio is better than Doncic and Kevin Durant. Not only is Brunson putting up stellar numbers offensively, he is also making an impact defensively; he currently leads the NBA in charges drawn.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jalen Brunson & New York Knicks Updates
Despite playing in the biggest media market in the world and the Mecca of Basketball, Madison Square Garden, Brunson’s brilliance is going under the radar. He isn’t in line to be a starter in the NBA All-Star game and if he doesn’t cut, would be the biggest snub in recent history.
Another box Brunson checks for the MVP race is that it plays nearly every night. That is something that could eliminate someone such as Embiid, who has played only 29 games this season; Brunson has played in 42.
Availability is the best ability in the NBA and Brunson provides that. MVP is supposed to be the most valuable player, and in the two games that he has missed this season, it was evident that he is when it comes to the Knicks’ success.
He missed two games recently because of a left calf injury. The Knicks went 1-1 in those games, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies on the road but losing to the Orlando Magic at home. New York managed to score only 106 and 94 points, respectively, which was their fourth and seventh-lowest outputs of the season.
Without Brunson, New York couldn’t find a rhythm offensively, often stagnating and not getting into their sets. That is as much of a testament to him being an MVP candidate as anything. With him on the court, the Knicks are one of the best teams in the NBA. Without him, they would be near the bottom of the standings.
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