Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extends NBA MVP poll lead over Nikola Jokic
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has strengthened his position as the favourite for the NBA Most Valuable Player award in the latest media straw poll.
The Canadian received 78 first-place votes in the survey of 100 media members conducted by ESPN.
He was the only player to appear on every single ballot cast this week.
The reigning MVP is enjoying another prolific campaign, averaging 31.8 points and 6.4 assists per game.
His efficiency remains elite, shooting 55.4% from the field for the Western Conference leaders.
Injury issues threaten contenders
Despite their leader’s individual brilliance, the Thunder have cooled off recently following a blistering 24-1 start to the season.
Injuries have seen the team go 17-13 in their last 30 games, with Gilgeous-Alexander currently sidelined by an abdominal issue.
While the Thunder guard remains the frontrunner, the league’s mandatory 65-game eligibility rule is beginning to impact his closest rivals.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic retained second place in the voting with 18 first-place selections.
However, a bone bruise sustained in December kept the Serbian out of action for nearly a month.
The three-time winner is now perilously close to falling foul of the NBA’s award criteria.
If Jokic misses two more games, he will fail to reach the threshold required for end-of-season honours.
Disqualification would end his streak of five consecutive top-two finishes in MVP voting.
Wembanyama rises in rankings
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has surged from eighth to fourth in the poll.
The French phenom picked up three first-place votes and appeared on 75 ballots.
Now in his third season, Wembanyama is averaging 24.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and a league-leading 2.7 blocks per game.
Like Jokic, the 21-year-old is walking a tightrope regarding availability.
Having missed 13 games already, Wembanyama can afford only four more absences to remain eligible for the award.
If he stays fit, the Spurs could look to replicate the late charge made by Joel Embiid to win the trophy in 2023.