For more than a decade now, DNA of Sports has been offering you its Top 5 candidates for the “Most Valuable Player” trophy (MVP)”. This week, place to the evocation of the case Anthony Daviscertainly the most dominating player in the league at the time of writing, and has been for about twenty days.
With 35.3 points, 15.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.9 blocks on average for three weeks, 65% in shots, 46% in 3-pts and 88% in throws, “AD” has actually entered “in the zone” recently and his opponents can only see the damage. Offensively and defensively, he holds the Lakers at arm’s length and it is no coincidence that, in the wake of his exceptional performances, the “Purple & Gold” are slowly but surely rising in the standings.
- In Lakers wins ? 33.2 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks on average, 63% in shots, 46% in 3-pts and 89% in throws.
- In Lakers losses ? 24.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks on average, 55% in shots, 25% in 3-pts and 78% in throws.
Inevitably, given his level of play, it is more and more complicated not to mention the name of Anthony Davis in the race for MVP 2023. Of course, Los Angeles remains in the negative and Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic or Devin Booker still have a head start – if not several – but his candidacy has nothing to envy to those of the players previously named, on a purely individual basis.
At 29, the 2020 champion thus regains statistics (28.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.4 blocks per game!) worthy of his best years with the Pelicans. Establishing neither more nor less than his best averages in scoring, rebounding and general address (59% success in shooting, to go with his 33% at 3-pts and his 83% in throws). Proof that “The Brow” has perhaps never been so strong in his career and the stats (more or less advanced) also reflect this…
- Scoring : 28.6 points per game (7th)
- Bounce : 12.8 per game (1st)
- Offensive rebound : 3.4 per game (6th)
- Player Efficiency Rating (PER) : 31.9 (1st)
- Player Impact Estimate % (PIE%) : 20.1% (4th)
- RAPTOR : +9.4 (2nd)
- Offensive Efficiency (ORTG) : 129.0 points scored on 100 possessions (9th)
- Win Shares (WS) : 4.1 (2nd)
- Offensive Win Shares (OWS) : 2.8 (5th)
- Box plus/minus (BPM) : +8.6 (5th)
- Box plus/minus offensive (OBPM) : +6.4 (4th)
- Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) : +1.9 (5th)
- In the painting : 18.1 points per game (2nd)
- pick and roll : 6.8 points per game (2nd)
- At office : 3.5 points per game (8th)
- On tap : 4.0 points per game (1st)
- In second chance : 4.9 points per game (1st)
- % Available Bounces (REB%) : 19.3% (10th)
An ignition delay that is too detrimental?
Some Lakers fans are therefore dreaming of a potential double “MVP / DPOY” for Anthony Davis, or even a presence in the Top 3 of each of these trophies. A feat achieved by only sixteen players in history, including “AD” precisely, in 2017/18, for what is (was?) probably his most successful campaign on a personal level: 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 interceptions and 2.6 blocks on average with the Pelicans!
On the other hand, there are only eight players left to have appeared not once, but twice in the Top 3 of the ballot for the MVP and the DPOY, and the N°1 of the 2012 Draft could possibly become the ninth in a few month. Unless he simply becomes the fourth to win both titles in the same year! Such as Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and, more recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo…
They finished Top 3 MVP and DPOY in the same season
(in bold, they achieved the double in the same year)
Larry Bird (1983)
Michael Jordan (19881993)
David Robinson (1991, 1992, 1994)
Hakeem Olajuwon (1993, 1994)
Gary Payton (1998)
Alonzo Mourning (1999, 2000)
Shaquille O’Neal (2000)
Tim Duncan (2001)
Kevin Garnett (2003, 2008)
LeBron James (2009, 2013)
Dwyane Wade (2009)
Dwight Howard (2011)
Kawhi Leonard (2016, 2017)
Anthony Davis (2018)
Paul George (2019)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019, 2020)
Beyond being a credible contender for the title of best player of the season (provided, of course, that his collective record improves significantly), Anthony Davis is thus establishing himself today as one of the favorites for the title. best defender of the season, where the race is much more open.
Indeed, if Los Angeles is currently at the gates of the Top 10 most effective defenses (111 points conceded out of 100 possessions), in the Top 3 of teams in defensive rebound (36), in the Top 10 of teams in blocking ( 5), at the gates of the Top 10 of the teams with the percentage of success granted near the circle (64%), in the Top 5 of the teams with the contested shots (52) or in the Top 3 of the teams with the percentage of success granted in the paint (39%), this is largely thanks to “The Brow”.
An Anthony Davis who, individually, shines even more statistically, because his teammates somewhat tarnish the collective statistics of the Lakers.
- On defensive rebound : 9.4 per game (1st)
- On the contrary : 2.4 per game (2nd)
- Defensive Effectiveness (DRTG) : 104.6 points conceded on 100 possessions (4th)
- Shots contested : 12.0 per game (4th)
- % of counters (BLK%) : 5.6% (6th)
- Defensive Win Shares (DWS) : 1.4 (2nd)
- Defensive box plus/minus (DBPM) : +2.2 (9th)
- Deflected balloons : 3.3 per game (9th)
Yes, but here it is: being productive within a team that does not earn enough will not be enough to obtain the favors of the voters of the various trophies and Anthony Davis had already learned this the hard way in the past, when he was still evolving at the Pelicans.
Hence the importance for the “Purple & Gold” to find at least the Top 8 of the West, if possible with an ever more dominating “AD”, because that will mean that his (too) many physical glitches are beautiful. and well behind him. Which is generally a good sign for the results of his franchise…
Without that, it’s impossible to hope to compete with Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and other Devin Booker, firmly established in the Top 5 of our race for MVP 2023, after a month and a half of competition.
Race to the MVP 2023: our Top 5
1 – Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
Assessment: 20 wins, 5 losses – 1st in the East.
Matches: 24 disputed out of 25 possible.
Statistics: 30.8 pts, 8.3 reb, 4.2 ft, 1.0 int, 1.0 ctr and 2.8 ft in 37 min.
Percentages: 48% on shots, 36% at 3-pts and 87% on throws.
2 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Assessment: 17 wins, 6 losses – 2nd in the East.
Matches: 19 disputed out of 23 possible.
Statistics: 31.9 pts, 11.3 reb, 5.5 pds, 0.8 int, 1.1 ctr and 3.7 pdb in 33 min.
Percentages: 54% on shots, 24% at 3-pts and 62% on throws.
3 – Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Assessment: 14 wins, 9 losses – 4th in the West.
Matches: 20 disputed out of 23 possible.
Statistics: 23.2 pts, 10.1 reb, 8.9 pds, 1.3 int, 0.6 ctr and 3.3 pdb in 32 min.
Percentages: 64% shooting, 34% 3-point and 81% throwing.
4 – Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
Assessment: 12 wins, 11 losses – 9th in the West.
Matches: 22 disputed out of 23 possible.
Statistics: 33.4 pts, 8.5 reb, 8.5 pds, 1.8 int, 0.7 ctr and 3.6 pdb in 37 min.
Percentages: 51% on shots, 34% at 3-pts and 72% on throws.
5 – Devin Booker (Suns)
Assessment: 16 wins, 8 losses – 1st in the West.
Matches: 24 disputed out of 24 possible.
Statistics: 28.4 pts, 4.9 reb, 5.9 pds, 1.0 int, 0.4 ctr and 2.5 pdb in 36 min.
Percentages: 49% on shots, 39% at 3-pts and 87% on throws.
Mentions : Stephen Curry (Warriors), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Ja Morant (Grizzlies), Kevin Durant (Nets), Jaylen Brown (Celtics)…
