NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) ladder race 2024-25 season (Week 24): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surges past Nikola Jokic

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as the frontrunner to win his maiden NBA MVP honors. The OKC Thunder guard is now a heavy favorite to win the Michael Jordan Trophy as the 2024-25 NBA season inches to a close. Oklahoma is set to finish as the No. 1 seed in the West, and SGA is pegged to bag the award after playing a key role in the team's scintillating run.

Nikola Jokic continues on his red-hot run, but the recent string of losses to the Nuggets sees him slip a rung. Eastern Conference superstars Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Giannis Antetokounmpo round up the rest of our Week 24 list. On that note, here's a look at how the NBA MVP ladder shapes up as the regular season hits the final stretch.

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NBA MVP ladder race 2024-25 season (Week 24): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets his nose in front

#5 Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell - Cleveland Cavaliers

Week 24 stats: 38.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks

Donovan Mitchell has been in scintillating form over his last three games. The guard has been averaging a double-double as the Cavs go on a two-game winning streak. His move into the top five comes amid Cleveland HC Kenny Atkinson believed that his superstar's stellar run deserved a nod in the MVP race.

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#4 Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks

Week 24 stats: 32.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.3 steals. and 0.3 blocks

The Bucks have wobbled and the absence of Damian Lillard makes life that much harder as they look to make a final playoff push. Giannis Antetokounmpo manages to find himself fourth in our ranking, primarily due to his consistent production throughout the season despite Milwaukee's sine-wave like run.

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#3 Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics

Week 24 stats: 35.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks

Jayson Tatum has been in solid form as the Celtics look set to finish as the No. 2 seed this season. The forward's 'revenge tour' narrative only gets more steam as he leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists per game. Barring the loss to the Miami Heat, Tatum has had impressive outings over the last few games as he looks to win his maiden NBA MVP award.

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#2 Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets

Week 24 stats: 44.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and 0.0 blocks

Nikola Jokic continues to drop videogame numbers, including a 60-point masterclass in their close loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The big missing a couple of games and Denver losing their last two games sees the Serbian slip a position

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#1 Shai Gilegous-Alexander | OKC Thunder

Shai Gilgeosu-Alexander - Oklahoma City Thunder

Week 24 stats: 43.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks

SGA takes pole in Week 24 of our NBA MVP rankings. The mercurial guard has been a force for the Thunder this season as the side looks to extend its 11-game win streak. The Canadian's prime form sees him as an overwhelming favorite to win his first MVP this season