As the NBA season wraps up, it has become clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is poised to finish third in the voting for the prestigious NBA MVP award. The NBA officially announced its three finalists for the major awards on Sunday evening, with Antetokounmpo joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Oklahoma City and Nikola Jokic from Denver as the top contenders for the MVP title. This season, Jokic is aiming for his fourth MVP award in just five years, having been last season’s recipient. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's scoring champion, is seeking his first MVP trophy as he led a Thunder team that achieved an impressive 68 wins, setting a league record for scoring margin.
The dominance of Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander in this year's MVP race has been so pronounced that BetMGM Sportsbook refrained from offering realistic odds on any other player winning the award as the regular season drew to a close. Gilgeous-Alexander was the favored candidate, followed closely by Jokic, while no other player had odds shorter than 500-1. With the All-NBA voting now closely mirroring the MVP voting, being named an MVP finalist virtually ensures a spot on the All-NBA first team. For Antetokounmpo, this would mark his ninth appearance on that team, with Jokic securing his seventh and Gilgeous-Alexander making his third appearance.
Reflecting on last year's MVP race, Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic (now with the Los Angeles Lakers) were the three finalists. A panel of NBA writers and broadcasters conducted the voting for this year’s awards last week, and the winners will be announced in the coming weeks, alongside the All-NBA and All-Rookie teams.
In the race for NBA Coach of the Year, the finalists include Kenny Atkinson from Cleveland, J.B. Bickerstaff from Detroit, and Ime Udoka from Houston. This season's competition was especially fierce; Mark Daigneault, last year's winner, guided the Oklahoma City Thunder to an impressive 68-win season but did not make the top three this year. Atkinson led the Cavaliers to a remarkable 64-win season, earning him recognition as the winner of the National Basketball Coaches Association’s coach of the year award, a separate accolade from the NBA honors.
Bickerstaff and Udoka both successfully led their teams to the playoffs, with the Rockets securing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Last year's finalists included Daigneault, Minnesota’s Chris Finch, and Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley.
The Rookie of the Year finalists are Stephon Castle from San Antonio, Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta, and Jaylen Wells from Memphis. Castle, the No. 4 pick in last year’s draft, could become the second consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year from San Antonio, following Victor Wembanyama, who won unanimously last season. Risacher and Wells ranked third and fourth among rookie scorers this season, respectively. Notably absent from the finalists is Washington’s Alex Sarr, who averaged 13 points this season.
This year, the Sixth Man of the Year finalists include Malik Beasley from Detroit, Ty Jerome from Cleveland, and Payton Pritchard from Boston. Pritchard is considered the overwhelming favorite, but voters have taken notice of Beasley’s outstanding performance off the bench, where he made over 300 three-pointers. Jerome has also been a steady contributor for the Cavaliers throughout the season. Last year, Minnesota’s Naz Reid claimed the award, with Malik Monk and Bobby Portis as other finalists.
The finalists for the Most Improved Player award are Cade Cunningham from Detroit, Dyson Daniels from Atlanta, and Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. Cunningham played a pivotal role in Detroit's turnaround season, contributing to a wild improvement from a 28-game losing streak last year to securing the No. 6 seed this season, making him a strong candidate for an All-NBA selection as well. Both Daniels and Zubac had exceptional seasons, particularly on the defensive end. Last year's winner was Tyrese Maxey from Philadelphia, with Chet Holmgren and Brandon Miller as the other finalists.
The race for Defensive Player of the Year features Dyson Daniels from Atlanta, Draymond Green from Golden State, and Evan Mobley from Cleveland. Daniels has been a standout in steals, Mobley possesses the unique ability to defend the rim effectively without committing fouls, and Green is vying for his second DPOY award after winning it in the 2016-17 season. Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, with four DPOY awards, is tied for the most in history alongside Hall of Famers Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. Wembanyama, who led the league in blocked shots this season, was also a strong contender for this award but has been sidelined since the All-Star break due to health issues.
Finally, the finalists for the Clutch Player of the Year award are Jalen Brunson from New York, Anthony Edwards from Minnesota, and Nikola Jokic from Denver. All three players had impressive performances in clutch moments, with Edwards scoring 157 points in those critical situations, Brunson contributing 150 points, and Jokic adding 140. Last year, the award went to Golden State’s Stephen Curry, with DeMar DeRozan and Gilgeous-Alexander as the other finalists.
As the NBA awards season approaches, excitement builds around the recognition of these outstanding players and coaches who have significantly impacted the game over the past season.
