The regular season is behind us, and now it's time to present our final MVP rankings. No real surprise on the winner, but a tip of the hat to all who made the final countdown.
9. Donovan Mitchell (previously No. 9)
Season stats: 26.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 43.8 FG%, 84.5 FT%, 21.3 PER
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Holy Mackerel stat: His averages in PPG, APG, and three-point percentage have increased over the previous season in his second, third, and now his fourth season. Only 24 years old.
8. Chris Paul (previously No. 8)
Season stats: 16.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 8.9 APG, 49.9 FG%, 39.5 3FG%, 93.4 FT%, 21.4 PER
Holy Mackerel stat: Completed the season fifth on the all-time list in career assists (10,275). Needs 60 more to get into the top three, behind only John Stockton and Jason Kidd.
NBA
7. Kawhi Leonard (previously: No. 6)
Season stats: 24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.2 APG, 51.2 FG%, 88.5 FT%, 26.0 PER
Holy Mackerel stat: Leads all non-guards in this century in career steals per game (1.8).
6. Luka Doncic (previously: No. 4)
Season stats: 27.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 8.6 APG, 47.9 FG%, 73.0 FT%, 25.3 PER
Holy Mackerel stat: Became just the third player with multiple seasons with 27 PPG, 8 RPG, and 8 APG (Oscar Robertson, LeBron James). He just turned 22 years old in February.
5. Damian Lillard (previously: No. 7)
Season stats: 28.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 7.5 APG, 45.1 FG%, 39.1 3FG%, 92.8 FT%, 25.6 PER
Holy Mackerel stat: Second straight season with double-digit games of 25 points and 10 assists. No other Trail Blazers player has done it even once.
4. Stephen Curry (previously No. 5 )
Season stats: 32.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.8 APG, 48.2 FG%, 42.1 3FG%, 91.6 FT%, 26.3 PER
Holy Mackerel stat: Won his second career scoring title, the second-oldest player to do so at 33 (Michael Jordan won it at 34). Since March 29, he made 155 threes in 24 games. That led the league — by 50!
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (previously: No. 3)
Season stats: 28.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.9 APG, 56.9 FG%, 68.5 FT%, 29.2 PER
Holy Mackerel stat: Finished his second straight season with 28 PPG, 11 RPG, and 5 APG. Everyone else in NBA history has done it a total of four times (Wilt Chamberlain twice, Oscar Robertson, and Elgin Baylor).
2. Joel Embiid (previously: No. 2)
Season stats: 28.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 51.3 FG%, 85.9 FT%, 30.3 PER (2nd in NBA)
Holy Mackerel stat: He’s the first center to finish a season with his points, rebounds and assists averages since Shaquille O’Neal 20 seasons ago. David Robinson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only others to do it since 1966.
1. Nikola Jokic (previously: No. 1)
Season stats: 26.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 8.3 APG, 56.6 FG%, 86.8 FT%, 31.3 PER (1st in NBA)
Holy Mackerel stat: Aside from playing in every game this season (something no one else on this list has done), Jokic finished in the top 12 in the NBA in PPG, RPG, and APG. Truly the Most Valuable Player of this season.