The regular season is coming to an end, and it's time to make a prediction for the season's awards. Jokic is aiming for a third MVP trophy, while Wembanyama and Holmgren will also be in the hunt for Rookie of the Year. While Holmgren may struggle to match Wembanyama's all-time level play, the Thunder still have plenty of other prize contenders. Here are our final predictions for each award:
MVP: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
While there have been years when a player has an absolute advantage in the overall metric to make it clear who the MVP is attributed, this year this is not the case. Jokic leads the league in BPM, VRP and RAPTOR, but Alexander leads the league in Estimated Wins and EPM. Jokic's advantage is that he can greatly improve the Nuggets' net efficiency (first in the league) when he's on the floor. However, does the Nuggets' lack of a good bench playmaker play after he goes off the court affects his evaluation?
In addition, Jokic's control of the game is unmatched. His size and basketball intelligence allow him to always make the best decisions. This season, he averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9 assists per game, shooting 64.6% from the field. His basic stats are good enough to attract voters, and his high-level stats are no slouch. More importantly, he has demonstrated exceptional mastery that sets him above his peers.
Biggest contender: Shay Gilgeous Alexander (Thunder)
Alexander is expected to become the first two-way guard after Jordan to average more than 30 points per game, shoot more than 60 percent from the field and average more than two steals per game. He led the league for four consecutive years, averaging a career-high 6.3 assists per game and improving his three-point percentage and shooting percentage from last season. Although he came out on top in the MVP selection, he still has to compete with Jokic for his exciting performances this season.