The new year has started but we don’t change the good habits on TrashTalk. Wednesday is MVP, and that’s good because we had to make a very big point regarding the race for the Michael Jordan Trophy. We’re coming off a crazy two weeks in terms of individual performances and as you can imagine, it’s pretty much upset the MVP standings.
Stats : 30.8 points / 4.8 rebounds / 5.8 assists / 1.7 steal / 1.0 once morest / 49.9% shooting
With: 16 wins – 21 losses
If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander infuriated many TTFL players last night with his last minute absence, we wanted to reinstate him in the Top 10 following another good fortnight on his part. Author of 44 pawns – his best total of the season – once morest the Pelicans just before Christmas and establishing himself as one of the most clutch players on the NBA circuit (hello Blazers), SGA is not weakening on an individual level. And in addition the Thunder continues to be very respectable. With a collective record of 16 wins – 21 losses, Oklahoma City can have the play-in tournament in their sights (only 1.5 games behind the Jazz) when it was rather tanking before the season. In short, Shai deserves to be there, he who is destined to participate in his very first All-Star Game next February.
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Stats : 26.0 points / 7.0 rebounds / 4.6 assists / 1.1 steals / 60.8% shooting
With: 23 wins – 14 losses
Pelicans fans benefit, Zion Williamson is not likely to stay in ninth place for long. Affected in the hamstrings very recently following going through the COVID protocol, the New Orleans buffalo will indeed miss three weeks of competition minimum, which clearly cuts him off in his tracks. Before his bobo, Zion notably remained on two XXL performances once morest the Wolves (43 points, career record) and the Sixers (36 points), enough to consolidate New Orleans’ place on the Western Conference podium despite the interminable absence of Brandon Ingram. We now hope that Zion will not stay on the sidelines too long because when he is at 100%, he is a real steamroller.
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Stats : 27.2 points / 6.2 rebounds / 8.0 assists / 1.0 steals / 45.9% shooting
With: 23 wins – 13 losses
“More regularity”. That’s what Ja Morant said when asked regarding his resolutions for 2023. And so far he’s keeping them, as evidenced by his last two outings once morest New Orleans de Zion (32 points, 8 assists) and the Sacramento Kings (35 points, 8 rebonds, 5 passes), not to mention his career record in passing once morest the Raptors (17 assists). Ja will nevertheless have to confirm this over time to hope to get involved more seriously in the Race for the MVP, while assuming his recent comments concerning competition within his conference. The four defeats in five games between December 17 and 27 proved that the Grizzlies weren’t necessarily “fine in the West” and that they will have to tear themselves away to hope to take power. The positive point is that Morant’s team has managed to resume its march forward since (three wins in a row), and is only one victory away from leader Denver.
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Stats : 29.3 points / 3.9 rebounds / 4.8 assists / 1.4 steals / 49.2% shooting (41.3% from 3-pointers)
With: 24 wins – 14 losses
With a series of three consecutive defeats and very discreet individual performances by his standards, Donovan Mitchell ended the year 2022 slowly. On the other hand, he started 2023 like a madman: 71 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds once morest the Bulls before yesterday, quite simply one of the greatest offensive performances in NBA history. A performance so crazy that Spida and the Cavs had to take a walk around the room “doping control” following the meeting. Without Darius Garland back in the infirmary, Donovan is today keeping Cleveland (fourth in the East) in the race for the conference podium, while Brooklyn won’t stop winning and Milwaukee won’t stop. more lose.
71 PTS
8 REB
11 AST
WDonovan Mitchell sets a new scoring record for the Cleveland Cavaliers and becomes only the 7th player in NBA history to score 70+ points in a game. pic.twitter.com/qbOwr3sqyH
— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023
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Stats : 33.5 points / 9.8 rebounds / 4.6 assists / 1.7 once morest / 1.2 steal / 53.2% shooting
With: 22 wins – 14 losses
For many, Joel Embiid is not highlighted enough in the Race for the MVP. With us, he has in any case just jumped three places following a fortnight of madness which allowed him to win the title of december player of the month in the Eastern Conference. 44 points once morest the Clippers, 35 at Christmas at Madison Square Garden48 points – 10 rebounds once morest the Wizards, 37 units on the Pelicans, a triple-double once morest the Thunder, 42 points – 11 rebounds over New Orleans… do we stop there or continue? After a not-tip top start to the season marked in particular by several absences, Embiid regained all his powers to bring the Sixers (8 wins out of the last 10 games) back into the Top 5 in the East, and will once once more be one of the top MVP candidates following finishing second for the past two years.
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Stats : 32.8 points / 11.8 rebounds / 5.2 assists / 53.6% shooting
With: 24 wins – 13 losses
Big fall for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dominated the Race for the MVP with Jayson Tatum two weeks ago. However, individually, the Greek Freak has been mon-stru-them in recent days: two games in 40 points – 20 rebounds, a performance with 55 pawns (career record), Suffice to say that the double MVP is very upset at the moment. But if he’s upset, it’s probably because the Bucks have been losing for two weeks. Five losses in seven games for Milwaukee, including two jerked off in Brooklyn then once morest the Celtics at Christmas (match in which Giannis was not bad in the hard), clearly it stains. Even if the Bucks are not complete (Khris Middleton absent, Jrue Holiday too) and the Freak has to do a bit of everything alone at the moment, we will quickly have to raise the bar collectively to relaunch in this Race to the 2022-23 MVP who gives absolutely no gift.
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Stats : 30.8 points / 8.1 rebounds / 4.0 assists / 1.1 steals / 47.4% shooting
With: 26 wins – 12 losses
Another big guy from the start of the season who is paying for a not-so-great collective dynamic: Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have lost 6 of their last 11 games (including a defeat at OKC yesterday by 33 points, without Gilgeous-Alexander…), enough to weaken JT’s MVP record, which was nevertheless a figure of big favorite in mid-December. This collective bad pass might cost the first place in the East in Boston given the current pace of the Brooklyn Nets (only 0.5 game behind). On a purely individual level, however, Tatum continues to be exceptional, having notably dominated Giannis Antetokounmpo at Christmas (41 points) while dropping other offensive cards over the past fortnight.
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Stats : 29.6 points / 6.8 rebounds / 5.5 assists / 1.5 blocks / 56.4% shooting
With: 25 wins – 12 losses
But where will Kevin Durant’s Nets stop? That’s 12 wins in a row for the band of KD, which today squats second place in the Eastern Conference while directly threatening leader Boston. And that inevitably, it solidifies more and more Durant’s file, which was however off to a bad start a few weeks ago when chaos still reigned in Brooklyn. The Slim Reaper may not have such outstanding performance as its direct competitors, but the regularity and efficiency with which it is currently evolving plead in its favor. His stats over the last 9 games? 28.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 once morest, all at 59% shooting including 43% from 3-pointers and almost 97% from the free throw line . Quite simply, a monster which has just integrated the Top 15 all-time NBA scorers. Life is good for KD right now.
Kevin Durant with 2 young fans. pic.twitter.com/tGLQVRSe3f
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) January 3, 2023
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Stats : 34.3 points / 8.8 rebounds / 8.9 assists / 1.7 steals / 50.7% shooting
With: 22 wins – 16 losses
Luka Doncic, where to start? By its 60-21-10 once morest the Knicks ? His 50 pawn performances once morest the Texas neighbors of Houston et Saint Anthony ? The name of the Slovenian phenomenon has obviously been on everyone’s lips for two weeks, two weeks absolutely all-time where he played Wilt Chamberlain to carry the Mavericks to a series of seven consecutive victories. If we can still worry regarding the overall level of Dallas knowing that the Mavs had to work to snatch some victories (especially once morest weak teams like Houston or San Antonio) despite the enormous exploits of Luka, there is no doubt that the latter is the very definition of the word “valuable”. Double player of the week in the West and also voted best player of the month decemberLuka Doncic is evolving on another planet at the moment.
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Stats : 25.6 points / 10.8 rebounds / 9.5 assists / 1.4 steals / 61.5% shooting
With: 24 wins – 13 losses
“If some people think Nikola Jokic shouldn’t be MVP because he’s already had it 2 times, that’s silly.” The statement is signed by Nuggets coach Mike Malone. following the new masterclass of his player in the clash once morest Boston (30 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists) on January 1, and we can only agree with him. Because when you have Jokic’s level of excellence, you continue to push the limits of efficiency and versatility (career high in passing and shooting percentage this year for the Joker), and you wear your team at the top of the Western Conference despite lieutenants (Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr.) not yet at the top, there’s no reason not to be in pole position for MVP. So yes, some voters may find it difficult to opt for the Serbian genius knowing that the triple MVPs in history can be counted on the fingers of one hand (Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain), but Jokic brings together a once more all the ingredients to win the bet.
Check out the best plays from Nikola Jokic’s WILD 41 PTS, 15 AST, 15 REB triple-double! #NBAXmas ????????
Presented by DraftKings pic.twitter.com/TAXfkXYgrO
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2022
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Honorable Mentions: Stephen Curry (Warriors), Devin Booker (Suns), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), LeBron James (Lakers), Julius Randle (Knicks), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Damian Lillard (Blazers), Kyrie Irving (Nets)
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