[Hoot Gibson]

Who do you believe is the best active player in the NBA? If you choose, Other, please explain your choice in a response.

[Van Hagar]

This is a very interesting question, because the NBA is the most balanced I can ever remember, with seemingly every team having at least a couple guys worth watching. My favorite to watch, which I know isn’t your question, is Ja, he’s just athletically incredible. A few years ago, when he was still at Murray, they played at EKU when both were still in the OVC. That night my son, who was going to EKU at the time, called me raving about ‘the most incredible athlete he’d ever seen in person,’ which was saying something, because I had taken him to a lot of pro sporting events as he grew up. He was, of course, talking about Ja.

But back on topic, if I had to pick one, and you can make a case for a number of them, I think I’d go with Giannis. The only possible flaw in his game is his ourside shooting, which he has improved. And I just don’t see how you ever, ever stop him from getting to the rim when he really wants to. This can be a golden era for the NBA, I hope they don’t screw it up.

[Hoot Gibson]

I voted for Jokic. He is the player that I would pick to build a franchise around. He is probably the most unselfish player in the league, yet he averages around 25 ppg, while averaging a triple-double. He is the best passing big man that I have ever seen play the game. Jokic is having the best season of his career, IMO, which is really saying something since he was named the MVP for the past two seasons.

I had just about stopped following the NBA until this season. I watched some video clips of Luka Doncic and started following the Mavericks. I prefer watching skilled, unselfish team players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird over selfish players who rely on their athleticism to make a splash on ESPN. Jokic and Doncic are the Bird and Magic of today's NBA.

[Hoot Gibson]

I voted for Jokic. He is the player that I would pick to build a franchise around. He is probably the most unselfish player in the league, yet he averages around 25 ppg, while averaging a triple-double. He is the best passing big man that I have ever seen play the game. Jokic is having the best season of his career, IMO, which is really saying something since he was named the MVP for the past two seasons.

I had just about stopped following the NBA until this season. I watched some video clips of Luka Doncic and started following the Mavericks. I prefer watching skilled, unselfish team players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird over selfish players who rely on their athleticism to make a splash on ESPN. Jokic and Doncic are the Bird and Magic of today's NBA.

I forgot to add that Jokic is hitting 63.5% of his field goal attempts, 38.1% of his 3 point attempts, and 83.4% of his free throw attempts.

[Van Hagar]

He is an amazing player, very similar to Bird in what he brings to the game. Doncic is unreal too, I just hope the addition of the crazy man (Kyrie) to his team doesn’t have too much of a negative effect on him. And yes, right now the NBA is much more entertaining to watch than whatever it is college basketball has turned in to.

[Cactus Jack]

Antetokounmpo: most valuable to his team; could put him on the Kings and they probably win more games than adding any other player on this list.

Stephen Curry: ironically the most skilled but also might need the best cast around him.

Luka Doncic: emerging as the best in the league but still needs talent around him.

Kevin Durant: snake... fills the role of a superstar but can't do it on his own.

Joel Embid: most dominant and was born at entirely the wrong time; put him in the 80's and we're possibly discussing him as a transcendent talent.

Lebron James: aging but can still bring it even at nearly 40 and most likely to actually gel with another superstar and build a team around him.

Nikola Jokic: maybe the 2nd most skilled to Curry, but I have lots of trouble calling him the best because of what you need around him, especially on defense.

Ja Morant: flashy but has a way to go.

Jason Tatum: I'm not entirely sure why he was included short of playing for a great franchise.



Bottom line: give me LeBron, Luka, Antetokounmpo, Embiid, & Curry and I'd run any other combo that you could pick off the court.

[Hoot Gibson]

The gap between Jokic and the competition for this year's MVP appears to be growing. If Jokic manages a three-peat, he will join Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players ever to win three straight MVPs. He is also on pace to become only the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season.

NBA MVP Straw Poll 2.0: Nikola Jokic is chasing history -- here's why he might capture it

[Cactus Jack]

The gap between Jokic and the competition for this year's MVP appears to be growing. If Jokic manages a three-peat, he will join Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players ever to win three straight MVPs. He is also on pace to become only the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season.

NBA MVP Straw Poll 2.0: Nikola Jokic is chasing history -- here's why he might capture it

Got to see Jokic live since my last post. He lumbers up and down the floor and his motion makes me wonder if he's going to have knee problems at some point (if he doesn't already).

He will throw dots and can do some things to help you win, but I saw him playing against a team who'll have a high lottery pick and even then, it was like he was moving in slow motion.

Not taking anything away from what he's able to do, just more of a question of how well his body will hold up over time. Seeing his gait sometimes makes me think of what team physicians were saying about Myles Turner prior to his draft.

[Hoot Gibson]

The gap between Jokic and the competition for this year's MVP appears to be growing. If Jokic manages a three-peat, he will join Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players ever to win three straight MVPs. He is also on pace to become only the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season.

NBA MVP Straw Poll 2.0: Nikola Jokic is chasing history -- here's why he might capture it

Got to see Jokic live since my last post. He lumbers up and down the floor and his motion makes me wonder if he's going to have knee problems at some point (if he doesn't already).

He will throw dots and can do some things to help you win, but I saw him playing against a team who'll have a high lottery pick and even then, it was like he was moving in slow motion.

Not taking anything away from what he's able to do, just more of a question of how well his body will hold up over time. Seeing his gait sometimes makes me think of what team physicians were saying about Myles Turner prior to his draft.

So far, Jokic has been a very durable player. He is never going to make the NBA All Defensive team, but IMO, he should easily be the league MVP again this season. Jokic just does whatever his team needs him to do and really doesn't seem to care about his scoring.

In the first game of the second round of the playoffs against Phoenix, Jamal Murray had a hot hand, so Jokic posted a "quiet" 24 points to go with 19 rebounds and 5 assists. Last night, Murray had an off night, so Jokic stepped up with 39 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block.

Compared to most talented big men in the NBA, Jokic has been extremely durable, and with NBA teams resting players in back-to-back games and limiting star player's minutes, I don't think Jokic is as likely to suffer serious injuries as more athletic centers his size.

[Hoot Gibson]

The gap between Jokic and the competition for this year's MVP appears to be growing. If Jokic manages a three-peat, he will join Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players ever to win three straight MVPs. He is also on pace to become only the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season.

NBA MVP Straw Poll 2.0: Nikola Jokic is chasing history -- here's why he might capture it

Got to see Jokic live since my last post. He lumbers up and down the floor and his motion makes me wonder if he's going to have knee problems at some point (if he doesn't already).

He will throw dots and can do some things to help you win, but I saw him playing against a team who'll have a high lottery pick and even then, it was like he was moving in slow motion.

Not taking anything away from what he's able to do, just more of a question of how well his body will hold up over time. Seeing his gait sometimes makes me think of what team physicians were saying about Myles Turner prior to his draft.

It's mind boggling to look at Wilt Chamberlain's minutes played per game stats. I don't think anybody will ever rival his durability stats. To average 48.5 minutes per game over an entire NBA season is one of his most impressive stats, IMO. Especially considering the fact that his poor free throw shooting made him a target for hard fouls night after night. Wilt suffered only one major injury over his entire career and never fouled out of a game. I remember teams begging him to come back just for the playoffs after he retired.

[Granny Bear]

Didn't he shoot his foul shots bloomer legged??

[Hoot Gibson]

Didn't he shoot his foul shots bloomer legged??

 I haven't heard that term, but he did try shooting them under handed but nothing seemed to work. In the game that he scored 100 points he hit a very high percentage of his free throws. Rick Barry shot his freethrows "bloomer legged" and hit 90% of them during his career.

[Hoot Gibson]

Jocic is proving that he is the most dominant offensive player in the world and it is not even close. When Anthony Davis is healthy, as he is now, he is the best player on the Lakers. Jocic already has 6 triple-doubles in the this year's NBA playoffs, including 34 points, 21 rebounds, 14 points and 2 blocks in tonight's game against the Lakers. Embid is a great player, but people will look back on this season for years and talk about how Jocic was robbed of a well deserved third straight MVP, especially if the Nuggets win the championship this year.

[Hoot Gibson]

Jocic just broke the 56-year old record previously held by Wilt Chamberlain with his 8th triple-double in a single playoff season. The fourth quarter is about to start.

[Cactus Jack]

Murray gets lots of praise but is still incredibly underrated. Speaking in terms of the overall big picture (contract, chemistry and all), I'm not sure that there's a more perfect player to put alongside Jokic than him in this moment.

[Hoot Gibson]

Nikola Jokic recorded his 9th playoff triple-double of the season last night, which is a new NBA record. with at least three games remaining The record of 7 triple-doubles in a playoff series was previously held by Wilt Chamberlain. Jokich now ranks third in career playoff triple-doubles behind only Magic Johnson and LeBron James.

I see many sportscasters and former NBA players who previously argued that Joel Embid was the NBA MVP this season finally acknowledging that Jokic is the best active NBA player.

I also believe that Jamal Murray has bolstered his case for making the NBA All Star team. Murray and Jokic are the best one-two punch in the NBA, IMO.

[Hoot Gibson]

The best active player in the NBA now has three 30-points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists career triple-doubles. Out of all the NBA centers in history, only Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had as much as a single 30-20-10 NBA Finals triple-double.

[Van Hagar]

After watching a ton of NBA this year, I’m ready to come over to your side, Hoot, on Jokic. He is really just remarkable, the most effective player with his wits I have seen in many a day. Sees the floor like Bird, posts up like Tim Duncan, scores from deep like Dirk Nowitzki. If his body holds up, there is no telling what his career body of work is gonna end up looking like.

[Hoot Gibson]

Nikola Jokic is having the best season of his career in almost every statistical category. He currently ranks 2nd in scoring (30.3 ppg), 1st in rebounding (13.9 rpg), 2nd in assists (11.7 apg), and 2nd in 3 PT. FG% (56.3).

IMO, he is already a top 10 NBA player of all time and he is on a trajectory to end his career as a top 5 player of all time.

[-STAT-]

With the way he has expanded his offensive game, I think the best player in the NBA right now is Giannis. He has really improved his mid-range jumper, of course he can get to the basket with ease, but the way he has improved the mid-range, still getting higher % shots by driving to the basket, plus his defensive prowess, and they call him the Greek freak for a reason.

I'd have to go with Giannis, with Jokic a very close 2nd.

[Van Hagar]

After watching him a few times this year, the guy that is going to be wearing the mantle of best player alive real soon is Victor Wembanyana of the Spurs. The dude is still just 20 years old, but already a dominant force who is only going to get better and better. He’s what, 7-5?!?! Great on defense, getting stronger and expanding his offensive game all the time. If he has a mostly healthy career, he should end up as an all-time great.

[Cactus Jack]

After watching him a few times this year, the guy that is going to be wearing the mantle of best player alive real soon is Victor Wembanyana of the Spurs. The dude is still just 20 years old, but already a dominant force who is only going to get better and better. He’s what, 7-5?!?! Great on defense, getting stronger and expanding his offensive game all the time. If he has a mostly healthy career, he should end up as an all-time great.

Agree. I thought he was a little overblown coming in, or at least stood a really good chance of getting hurt given how slender he is, but he's really starting to deliver on the hype.

Also, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is putting up some really nice numbers but hasn't been mentioned in this thread.

[Hoot Gibson]

If OKC is the top seed in the West at the end of the season, then SGA will have a shot at the MVP.
 
Assuming that Jokic continues to perform at his current level, I don't see anybody else, with the possible exception of SGA, seriously contending for the MVP this season. Jokic had his 13th triple-double of the season last night, with 36 points, 22 rebounds, and 11 assists. He also had 4 steals. Westbrook also had a perfect triple double last night, with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, on 7-7 shooting and no turnovers. Jamaal Murray also had 10 assists, which made it the first NBA regular season game since 1982 in which three players on the same team had at least 10 assists.

Jokic's current stats:

PTS: 31.0 (3rd)
REB: 12.9 (3rd)
ASSISTS: 9.5 (3rd)
STEALS: 1.8 (5th)
FG%: 56.3 (13th) 
3P%: 48.9 (1st)

SGA's current stats:

PTS: 31.0 (2nd)
REB: 5.6 (68th)
ASSISTS: 6.2 (20th)
STEALS: 1.9 (3rd)
FG%: 52.3 (24th)
3P%: 34.4 (128th)

Based on stats and his importance to his team, the MVP is Jokic's to lose. If voters decide to take team success into account and Denver does not climb into one of the top 4 seeds, then SGA, Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, or Karl Anthony Towns could go home with the MVP. 

For Giannis to have a shot, Milwaukee would need to finish higher in the East than Denver does in the West, IMO, and I think that is unlikely to happen.

[Cactus Jack]

If OKC is the top seed in the West at the end of the season, then SGA will have a shot at the MVP.
 
Assuming that Jokic continues to perform at his current level, I don't see anybody else, with the possible exception of SGA, seriously contending for the MVP this season. Jokic had his 13th triple-double of the season last night, with 36 points, 22 rebounds, and 11 assists. He also had 4 steals. Westbrook also had a perfect triple double last night, with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, on 7-7 shooting and no turnovers. Jamaal Murray also had 10 assists, which made it the first NBA regular season game since 1982 in which three players on the same team had at least 10 assists.

Jokic's current stats:

PTS: 31.0 (3rd)
REB: 12.9 (3rd)
ASSISTS: 9.5 (3rd)
STEALS: 1.8 (5th)
FG%: 56.3 (13th) 
3P%: 48.9 (1st)

SGA's current stats:

PTS: 31.0 (2nd)
REB: 5.6 (68th)
ASSISTS: 6.2 (20th)
STEALS: 1.9 (3rd)
FG%: 52.3 (24th)
3P%: 34.4 (128th)

Based on stats and his importance to his team, the MVP is Jokic's to lose. If voters decide to take team success into account and Denver does not climb into one of the top 4 seeds, then SGA, Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, or Karl Anthony Towns could go home with the MVP. 

For Giannis to have a shot, Milwaukee would need to finish higher in the East than Denver does in the West, IMO, and I think that is unlikely to happen.

Very thorough breakdown. Agree with the vast majority of your points. Just wonder if there's some fatigue in MVP voting.

Jordan only won it a total of five times; Lebron 4, Magic 3, Bird 3, Duncan 2, Kobe, Shaq, and Hakeem 1 apiece-- those are all players who only need one name for recognition and are the best of the modern era.

Kareem has 6, Russell has 5, and Wilt has 4. That covers everyone with four or more.

Jokic already has 3 of the last 4. Whether it should matter or not, I think that Jokic might need to run away with it or risk voters either wanting to give it to someone else and/or thinking too hard about what putting him in the company of only Kareem, Russell, Jordan, Wilt, and LeBron means for the history of the game.

That said, Shai is the only player whose odds are currently in the same stratosphere. Giannis (+500) is within striking distance but isn't exactly close (and he already has two of his own). Tatum (+1100) is a really long shot. Wembanyama (+6600) is even further, and probably at least a year away).

If it's purely individual and team performance, Denver's early schedule hasn't been cupcake city, but it will get tougher as the year wears on-- they still have the Celtics, 76ers, Mavericks, Bucks, Thunder, Lakers, Wolves, Suns, and Spurs at least twice.

[Hoot Gibson]

Jokic just averaged 43.5 ppg against the likely Defensive Player of the year, Victor Wembanyama in back to back games against the Spurs. Wemby arguably outplayed Jokic in the first game and Jokic dominated the second game. The Spurs won narrowly won the first game and Denver won the second game in overtime. 

At some point, Wemby will become a dominant player if he stays healthy. He tries to dribble in traffic too often and gets stripped, but he has a great touch and forces opponents to try to draw him away from the basket.

[Van Hagar]

If anyone is so inclined to warch, Wednesday night ESPN has a fantastic doubleheader. OKC vs. Cleveland in the opener, the two best teams in the league so far, followed by Bucks-Spurs, the Greek Freak vs. Wemby.

[Hoot Gibson]

For the second time in the past two weeks, both Jokic and Westbrook posted triple-doubles in the same game. That is something that has now been done only 18 times in the history of the NBA. Westbrook has been playing like an all star when he is on the court with Jokic. Aaron Gordon has missed more than half the season with injuries but Denver is starting to look like a real contender thanks to Westbrook stepping up.

The fact that Westbrook has been such a good fit in Denver is a testament to Jokic and Michael Malone. Neither the Lakers nor the Clippers made good use of Westbrook's skills and Jokic was eager for the Nuggets to sign Westbrook to a contract.

[Cactus Jack]

If anyone is so inclined to warch, Wednesday night ESPN has a fantastic doubleheader. OKC vs. Cleveland in the opener, the two best teams in the league so far, followed by Bucks-Spurs, the Greek Freak vs. Wemby.

What's the deal with Cleveland? I really haven't kept up with them and was surprised to see them so high in the standings. Know they had a decent run last season. Is this somewhat a product of a back-loaded schedule too?

[Van Hagar]

I think they’re legit. They beat OKC in that matchup (play them again on the road this week, Thursday I believe) was the NBA equivalent of the UK-Florida game, just extremely high level play from the opening tip. The big key for them is besides Mitchell, who is having a great career, other guys seem to be having career years. Darius Garland is excellent at the point, and the two big men, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, are both possible all-stars. I still like Boston in the east, but they won’t roll over the Cavs.

[Cactus Jack]

I think they’re legit. They beat OKC in that matchup (play them again on the road this week, Thursday I believe) was the NBA equivalent of the UK-Florida game, just extremely high level play from the opening tip. The big key for them is besides Mitchell, who is having a great career, other guys seem to be having career years. Darius Garland is excellent at the point, and the two big men, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, are both possible all-stars. I still like Boston in the east, but they won’t roll over the Cavs.

Didn't realize that Cleveland was now 32-5 and Oklahoma City 33-6. Both are going to hit a tough stretch of games soon, but those are really impressive records regardless of who you are playing.

Feels weird to be getting into NBA games at this point in the year, but I'm going to try to catch some of Thursday night's game if I can.