"Luka moved down because media wants Tatum" - Jayson Tatum outranking Luka Doncic in NBA MVP race has fans chirping

The NBA MVP ladder has seen some enormous changes this season. Nikola Jokic climbed to the No. 1 spot after Joel Embiid was eliminated from the race. However, the race between Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic has taken center stage.

Recently, NBA Central updated the list of the top 10 players on the NBA MVP ladder for the 2023-24 season. Jokic led the race with the top spot. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic were in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th spots respectively.

It appears like NBA fans are unhappy with the ranking, especially Tatum being ahead of Doncic. One of the fans accused the media on X of pushing for Tatum’s candidacy.

"Luka moved down because media wants Tatum," the fan tweeted.

Another fan felt Doncic was low on the NBA MVP ladder because of the media hate against hi

“The Luka hate is getting unreal now omfg how is he at 5 when he should be 1,” the fan tweeted.

Here are some more fan reactions on X.

NBA MVP ladder: Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic comparison

There is no denying that Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic have been exceptional this season. Last season, when the Mavericks paired Doncic with Kyrie Irving, they failed to make it to the postseason. However, they seem to have figured it out this season.

Last season, the Celtics finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks. They finally lost to the 8th spot Miami Heat in the Conference Finals.

Given that team standing plays a role in a player’s resume in the NBA MVP race, Tatum being ahead of Doncic makes sense. The Celtics are No.1 in the league with a 46-12 score, while the Mavs are No. 7 in the West with a 34-25 score. The Celtics have won nine of their last 10 games compared to the Mavericks’ eight.

However, in terms of player stat, Doncic is way ahead of Tatum in almost every category. Tatum is averaging 27 points, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 8.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 47.5% from the field and 36.1% from the three-point line. Moreover, Tatum is ranked 8th in the league in total points (1484).

On the other hand, Luka Doncic is leading the league in scoring, with over three points from the 2nd spot. He is averaging 34.4 ppg while shooting at 49.4% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc. He is averaging 8.8 rpg, 9.7 apg and 1.5 spg.

In terms of team record, Tatum certainly has an edge over Tatum. However, regarding the impact on the team, Doncic ranks second in the league compared to Tatum, 10th. Further, regarding personal stat, Doncic has a clear edge over Tatum in the NBA MVP race.

Doncic and Tatum will go against each other today in the NBA MVP showdown at TD Garden.