Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Jumps to No. 6 in NBA MVP Straw Poll
Following yet another strong stretch of play, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has jumped to No. 6 on the third and final NBA MVP Straw Poll.
Voted an All-Star for the first time in his young career this season, it’s already been a record year for the still 24-year-old. Now, averaging 31.3 points, 5.4 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent overall and 35 percent from beyond the arc, he’s beginning to earn some MVP buzz, too.
Ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander are current front-runner Joel Embiid, back-to-back winner Nikola Jokic, former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Celtics’ forward Jayson Tatum and Dallas guard Luka Doncic, respectively.
Embiid leads with 790 total points. Gilgeous-Alexander has just 32, but is only five points behind Doncic for the No. 5 spot. With the Mavericks' Playoffs hopes dwindling, partly due to Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander could overtake Doncic by season’s end.
With a Play-In berth, Gilgeous-Alexander could potentially finish top-five in MVP voting, a tremendous feat for someone on a lower seed. Ultimately, the Canadian guard won’t have any real claim to the MVP trophy. But a top five-to-six finish is just another notch in his belt for what’s been a fairly incredible run this season.
For now, Gilgeous-Alexander is looking to get back in the lineup following an ankle injury. OKC next takes on the Pacers at 6 p.m. tomorrow in Indiana.
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