Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo finished third in the NBA MVP race, with Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokic as the front runners. The finalists for various NBA awards were announced, with Jokic aiming for his fourth MVP award and Gilgeous-Alexander seeking his first. This year’s MVP race was so competitive that no one was given realistic odds to win besides the two favorites.
Antetokounmpo, Jokic, and Gilgeous-Alexander are likely to make the All-NBA first team based on their MVP finalist status. In the Coach of the Year category, Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson emerged as the winner, with Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff and Houston’s Ime Udoka also contenders. The Rookie of the Year finalists include San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher, and Memphis’ Jaylen Wells.
Malik Beasley, Ty Jerome, and Payton Pritchard are finalists for Sixth Man of the Year, with Pritchard being the favorite. Cade Cunningham, Dyson Daniels, and Ivica Zubac are nominated for Most Improved Player. Defensive Player of the Year finalists are Daniels, Draymond Green, and Evan Mobley. Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, and Nikola Jokic are in the running for Clutch Player of the Year.
The winners will be announced by the NBA over the coming weeks, with a panel of writers and broadcasters deciding the awards. The competition was stiff in all categories, showcasing the high level of talent in the NBA this season.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
