We have already reached the quarter point of the NBA regular season and the Western Conference is already shaping up to be an insane race between the playoff contenders. The two hottest teams in the Western Conference and the whole league as of right now are the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors. Players like Stephen Curry and Devin Booker are having great seasons, which begs an interesting question for this point in the season. Who is the MVP of each division? Some of these answers will be obvious, but others could be surprising, including the honorable mentions. Without further adieu, let’s delve into each MVP of each Western Conference so far into this season.
Western Conference Divisions: Who is the MVP of Each Division?
Northwest Division: The Reigning MVP
Nikola Jokic may have missed time due to a sprained wrist, but if you have watched the Denver Nuggets without their league MVP, you know how much impact the Joker has on the floor. There is a reason he won the MVP last season. Not to mention, there is no sugar coating it, the Nuggets look absolutely lost without Jokic in the lineup. Curry and Durant may be leading the MVP race right now, but rest assured that Jokic is still in the thick of the race this early in the season. Jokic is averaging 26.2 points per game (PPG), 13.7 rebounds per game (RPG), 6.4 assists per game (APG), and a current league-best defensive box plus/minus (DBPM) of 4.9. The Denver Nuggets are 10-10 at this point, but as long as Jokic is on the floor, they will always have a puncher’s chance.
Honorable Mention: Karl-Anthony Towns: 23.5 PPG, 3.2 APG, 9.0 RPG, 0.0 DBPM
Pacific Division: The Former Unanimous MVP
As alluded to already, Stephen Curry is having a season for the ages. He is looking like he did when he became the only unanimous MVP in league history. Even without Klay Thompson, Curry has spearheaded the Golden State Warriors to the second seed in the Western Conference. So far, Steph is putting up totals of 27.8 PPG, 6.6 APG, 5.7 RPG, and a DBPM of 1.2. For the record, these numbers are comparable to the year when Curry won his second league MVP. The Phoenix Suns may have the best record in the Western Conference for now, but Stephen Curry is arguably the league MVP as of now.
Honorable Mention: Devin Booker: 23.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.5 APG, -1.1 DBPM
Southwest Division: The Euro Sensation
Luka Doncic continues to be one of the best-rounded players in all of basketball. He has the Dallas Mavericks in the thick of the Western Conference postseason picture and continues to mature before our very eyes as a young leader. He is currently averaging numbers of 25.5 PPG, 8.3 APG, 8.2 RPG, and a DBPM of -0.3. Honestly, one could make an argument the MVP of the Southwest division is a coin toss between Luka and Memphis Grizzlies guard, Ja Morant. However, Doncic is having a little bit better of a season and currently has his team one place ranked above where the Grizzlies are in the West. Yet, do not discount what Morant did before his knee injury.
Honorable Mention: Ja Morant: 24.1 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.6 RPG, -1.8 DBPM
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images