Story by
Top 5 NBA MVP Candidates After The First Month: Luka Doncic Is Dominating
- Story by
- Top 5 NBA MVP Candidates After The First Month: Luka Doncic Is Dominating
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
We're just getting into November for the 2026-27 NBA season, and the MVP race is already getting tight. Luka Doncic is scoring almost 40 points per game, Tyrese Maxey has the 76ers sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference, and Victor Wembanyama is blocking shots like nobody else in the league.
And that's without mentioning Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who's coming off another MVP season, or Jayson Tatum, who's been doing much more as a passer for the Celtics. There are also guys like Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo putting up excellent numbers, but I think these five have the strongest cases right now.
Advertisement
Of course, nobody wins MVP in October or early November. We still have more than 70 games remaining for most teams, and injuries, records, and individual performances will change this ranking plenty of times.
But if we had to vote today, here's how I'd rank the five best MVP candidates based on what they've done through November 3.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
After winning back-to-back MVP awards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was always going to enter this season as one of the favorites. And even with the OKC Thunder dealing with several major injuries, he's still averaging 28.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists through seven games. Oklahoma City is 5-2, which is a pretty good record considering how many important players have gone down with injuries.
Advertisement
His latest performance was probably his best of the season. On Monday night against the Cavaliers, SGA scored 43 points, grabbed three rebounds, and recorded eight assists in a 117-112 victory. He shot 14-of-35 from the field, made four three-pointers, and hit 11 of his 12 free throws. The biggest shot came with 32.6 seconds remaining, when he knocked down a three to give the Thunder the lead for good.
This past game was definitely needed coming off very tough losses. The Mavericks beat the Thunder 120-96 on October 28, and the Rockets followed with a 119-98 victory three days later. Those were pretty ugly results for the defending champions, and the injuries have clearly affected their offense. Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Cason Wallace have all been sidelined , leaving Shai with much more responsibility.
The shooting numbers also explain why I have him fifth instead of higher. He's making 45.1% of his field-goal attempts and 33.3% from three, both below the standards he established during his MVP seasons. He's still getting to the free-throw line and creating scoring chances, but his efficiency hasn't been quite the same. His 17-point performance against the Nuggets, when he shot 6-of-19, was another example of that inconsistency.
Still, I think we're going to see him move up this ranking pretty quickly. The Thunder have a +12.5 net rating with SGA on the floor and -16.6 when he sits , which shows how much the team has depended on him. Ajay Mitchell has helped with 17 points per game, but replacing the production of Williams and Holmgren is almost impossible.
Advertisement
For now, the record is good, the scoring is still excellent, and that 43-point performance against the Cavaliers was exactly what OKC needed. I'd just like to see his shooting improve and the Thunder get back to a top-tier seed before putting him closer to first place. He's already a two-time MVP, so we know how good he can be.
4. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs
43 points and 6 blocks in the same game is ridiculous, and that's exactly what Victor Wembanyama did against the Timberwolves on Saturday. The Spurs won 121-111, and Wembanyama finished with seven rebounds and four assists while making 17 of his 34 field-goal attempts. He was easily the best player on the court, and that performance might be the strongest individual game from anyone in this ranking outside of Doncic.
Wembanyama is putting up 25.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and an NBA-leading 4.0 blocks through seven games. He's shooting 46.9% from the field, and the Spurs have started 5-2 after winning five consecutive games. The team has been playing excellent basketball since losing its first two games, and its franchise player is obviously a major reason for that.
Advertisement
What's impressed me most is how much he can change a game without needing to score 30 points. Against the Jazz on Monday, Wembanyama finished with only 12 points on 5-of-15 shooting, but he also grabbed 11 rebounds, recorded five assists, and blocked three shots. The Spurs still won 119-97, holding Utah to 16 points in the first quarter and building a lead that reached 26.
That defensive impact is why his MVP case is different from the other players here. Wemby is averaging four blocks while playing only 31.2 minutes per game, and opponents have to think twice before attacking the basket. Against the Mavericks on October 24, he finished with 23 points and four blocks. Three days later, he scored 29 points and blocked another five shots against the Kings.
And the offense has been pretty impressive, too. He scored 36 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against the Jazz on Wednesday, making four three-pointers while shooting 14-of-25 from the field. That was followed by his 43-point performance against Minnesota, giving him 79 points across two consecutive wins. Not many players can produce those scoring numbers while also being the most important defender on their team.
The biggest concern is his outside shooting. Wemby is making only 26.2% of his three-pointers, and he's still taking a significant number of them. That hasn't stopped him from averaging nearly 26 points, but improving that percentage would make him even more of a cheat code.
Advertisement
I have him fourth because his two-way impact is already at an MVP level, but the Spurs are still outside of the West's top four. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if he finishes the season as the winner. If San Antonio reaches the top of the Western Conference and Wemby continues being this defensive monster, his defensive production alone could make him the DPOY and MVP winner at the same time.
3. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
The Celtics lost Jaylen Brown, added Paul George , and entered the season with a lot of questions. So naturally, Jayson Tatum has had to adjust his game, and I think he's done a very good job so far. Boston is 5-2, and Tatum is at 27.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and a career-high 7.9 assists through seven appearances.
That last number is what I like most. Tatum has never averaged more than 4.9 assists across a full season, but he's now close to eight per game while still scoring 27 points. He's handling more of the rock, finding teammates, and creating shots instead of focusing on his own scoring. For a Celtics team that lost one of its main offensive players, that improvement has been extremely important.
Advertisement
And he's already had some excellent performances. Tatum scored 36 points against the Knicks on October 23 , then dropped 40 points and eight assists against the Nets four days later. That Brooklyn game was incredible because he hit a jumper at the buzzer to give Boston a 125-124 OT victory . He finished with 40 points, and the Celtics needed every one of them.
He also scored 32 points against the Magic on Sunday, helping Boston win 108-97 for its fifth consecutive victory. Tatum made only eight of his 19 shots but went 15-of-17 from the free-throw line, which helped him maintain his scoring production even without a good shooting night. That's something he's been doing pretty well this season, averaging nearly 10 free-throw attempts per game.
But the shooting percentages are a serious problem. Tatum is making only 41.8% of his field-goal attempts and 22.9% from three, which is extremely poor for a player who takes almost seven threes per game. His 19-point performance against the Rockets last night wasn't much better, as he shot 5-of-16 from the field and 1-of-7 from three in a 109-93 loss.
That loss also ended Boston's five-game winning streak, and Tatum couldn't find his shooting rhythm against a strong Rockets defense. He still recorded nine assists, though, extending his streak of games with at least six assists to seven. That's another reason I like his start, because he's finding ways to contribute even when his jumper isn't falling.
Advertisement
Paul George has been helping a lot with 20.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 38.8% from three. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard have also been important, but Tatum has been the No. 1 undisputed option for the first time in his career, and he's taking on more playmaking responsibility than ever.
I know ranking him third is a little aggressive, but I think his overall role deserves credit. The Celtics have adjusted well to having a lone superstar, and Tatum is still scoring 27 points while nearly doubling his usual assists.
2. Tyrese Maxey – Philadelphia 76ers
A clear-cut 7-1 record, first place in the Eastern Conference, and averaging nearly 30 points. That's a pretty convincing MVP case for Tyrese Maxey , especially considering the 76ers have become his team to lead after many injuries and rest for the other core pieces.
Advertisement
Maxey is posting 29.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 50.3% from the field and 33.9% from three. He's also recording 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks per game, which is impressive for a 6-foot-2 guard. Philadelphia is asking him to play 37.4 minutes per night, and he's been producing consistently regardless of who's available around him.
The best example came against the Hornets on Saturday. LeBron and Embiid were both resting, so the Sixers needed Maxey to take over. He responded with 38 points on 13-of-23 shooting, making four three-pointers and eight free throws. Philadelphia was down 101-94 late in the fourth quarter but scored 13 consecutive points to steal a 109-104 victory.
Then, on Monday, he had a completely different performance against the Bulls. Instead of needing 35 or 40 points, Maxey finished with 26 points, four rebounds, and 11 assists in a 126-107 victory. He shot 10-of-15 from the field, recorded two steals and two blocks, and scored 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers pulled away.
That's what makes his start so impressive to me. He doesn't have to take 30 shots to score 30 points, and he's becoming a better passer as well. Maxey is only committing 2.5 turnovers despite handling the ball so much, and his 50.3% shooting is excellent for someone attempting more than 20 field goals per game.
Advertisement
The team also looks much better when he's playing. Philadelphia has a +9.5 net rating with Maxey on the court and -8.9 without him, giving him a +18.4 on/off differential. That's a huge difference, especially considering how much talent the 76ers have on their roster.
My only concern is whether he can maintain this level of efficiency for an entire season. He's taking a lot of shots, playing heavy minutes, and handling too many offensive tasks. His 33.9% three-point shooting could also improve, which would make his scoring even more dangerous.
But right now, I think he deserves second place. The 76ers have the best record in the East, Maxey is averaging almost 30 points on more than 50% shooting, and he's already delivered some important performances when the team needed him most. That's exactly what I want to see from an early MVP candidate.
1. Luka Doncic – Los Angeles Lakers
I don't think there's much debate about who's first right now. Luka Doncic is going crazy with 38.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.1 assists through seven games, and the Lakers are 6-2 after winning four of their last five. He's leading the NBA in scoring by more than eight points per game, and he's doing it while shooting 49.7% from the field and 42.7% from three.
Advertisement
Those numbers are ridiculous, especially when Doncic is making 5.9 three-pointers per game. He's taking almost 14 shots from beyond the arc every night and still hitting more than 42.0% of them. Add his 88.7% shooting from the free-throw line, and we're looking at one of the best offensive starts we've seen from an MVP candidate in years.
The 52-point game against the Jazz on October 25 was the first warning shot. Luka finished with 52 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists in a 132-123 victory, shooting 17-of-30 from the field and 8-of-18 from three. He also made 10 of his 11 free throws, and Utah simply couldn't stop him.
But he hasn't slowed down since then. Doncic scored 41 points against the Blazers , followed that with 37 against the Warriors, and then had consecutive games with more than 40 points against the Raptors and Heat in consecutive wins . What more do you want from him? He's been flirting with the MVP for ages, and this might be it.
The Raptors game on Sunday was something else, as Luka ended up with 45 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, and five steals while making eight of his 12 three-pointers against one of the toughest defenses in the league. The Lakers won 131-125, and he was a +27 in only 35 minutes.
Advertisement
And then he came back the next night and dropped 42 points, seven rebounds, and 13 assists against the Heat. LA won 138-117 last night, with Luka shooting 14-of-24 from the field and making six three-pointers. He had 24 points by halftime and helped the Lakers build a huge lead before getting some rest in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers' on/off numbers make his MVP case even stronger. Los Angeles has a +21.2 net rating with Doncic playing and -18.0 without him, creating a +39.2 difference per 100. That's an enormous number, even for a small sample, and it shows how much the team has relied on him.
Personally, I think this is the best MVP case in the league right now. Doncic has the scoring numbers, the assists, the shooting efficiency, and a winning record. The Lakers are 6-2, and he's playing like someone who wants to win his first MVP award after coming close several times.
There's still a long season ahead, but if he finishes anywhere near 35 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists while keeping the Lakers among the best teams in the West, I don't see how anybody could beat him. Right now, Luka is my clear favorite.
