If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers. This is the fourth year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic winning the first two, and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers winning last year.
To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at Thanksgiving. We will update this every Wednesday.
Here is the current top ten:
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 179 Cup Points, 44 Games, 4.07 Cup Points per Game, 26.2, PPG, 12.0 RPG, 9.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 32.2 PER, 9.7 WS. Last Week, #1.
Last year, Jokic became an NBA Champion and a Finals MVP and shook off what some may have perceived as an MVP snub. At present, the Joker is leading the NBA in Win Shares (9.7), Offensive Win Shares (7.2) Box Plus/Minus (14.4), Offensive Box Plus/Minus (9.9), Defensive Box Plus/Minus (4.4), VORP (6.2) and Triple Doubles (13). He is also second in PER (32.2), and fourth in Assists per Game (9.1) and Rebounds per Game (12.0). Jokic also was named the November Player of the Month, which is his seventh overall. While Jokic’s top spot was in peril a few weeks ago, he has added to his lead since.
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 171 Cup Points: 42 Games, 4.07 Cup Points Per Game, 31.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 6.4 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 30.5 PER, 8.9 WS. Last Week #2.
Gilgeous-Alexander broke through to the upper-tier last season, and he is proving that this was no fluke. He is leading the NBA in Steals per Game (2.3), Steals (96), Points (1,307), is second in Win Shares (8.9) and VORP (3.6), third in PER (30.5), and Box Plus/Minus (9.8) and is fourth in Points per Game (31.1). The Canadian is now an MVP contender, and could join Steve Nash in that exclusive club. Even if he doesn’t this year, SGA added his first Player of the Month Award in December.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 168 Cup Points: 41 Games, 4.10 Cup Points per Game, 31.2 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 29.5 PER, 7.0 WS. Last Week, #2.
The two-time MVP has never had a better supporting cast than he does now, and he is responding by doing what he always does: dominate. Antetokounmpo, however has slightly less metrics than previous years, but the arrival of Damian Lillard means he does not have to always carry the load. The December Eastern Conference Player of the Month is third in Points per Game (31.2), sixth in Rebounds per Game (11.5), and is the league-leader in Field Goals (47).
4. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, 146 Cup Points, 32 Games, 4.56 Cup Points per Game, 36.1, PPG, 11.6 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 35.6 PER, 7.3 WS. (Last Week #6)
Embiid is the reigning MVP, NIHOF Cup Winner, and two-time scoring champion, and he is currently leading the NBA in scoring again (36.1). The 76er is also first in Usage Percentage (39.0), and PER (35.6), and is in the top ten in Rebounds and Blocks per Game. Embiid has missed a few games earlier in the season, which has caused his drop on the list. Had he been healthy, he might be #1, but he is number one by far in Cup Points per Game.
5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 144 Cup Points: 41 Games, 3.51 Cup Points per Game, 27.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 21.6 PER, 5.4 WS. Last Week #4.
Tatum begins the year the way he ended the last one: an MVP contender on a power team. He has already a nabbed a Player of the Week Award, is eighth in PPG (27.0) and is poised to take the Celtics on his back to a title.
6. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 142 Cup Points: 36 Games, 3.94 Cup Points per Game, 33.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 27.6 PER, 5.5 WS. Last Week #4.
Doncic is on a four-year streak of First Team All-NBA stars, and he is on pace to add a fifth. Hs is second in Points per Game (33.6), third in Assists per Game (9.3), ninth in Steals per Game (1.4), and is in the top five in PER (27.6), Box Plus/Minus (9.6), and VORP (3.9).
7. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, 138 Cup Points: 43 Games, 3.25 Cup Points per Game, 25.0 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 2.5 BPG, 25.8 PER, 6.8 WS. (#8 Last Week)
Davis is currently third in Rebounds per Game (12.2), and is the healthiest he has been in years. He is also fifth in Blocks per Game (2.5), seventh in PER (25.8) and fifth in Win Shares (6.8).
8. Julius Randle, New York Knicks, 137 Cup Points: 44 Games, 3.05 Cup Points per Game, 24.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 18.6 PER, 3.8 WS. (#9 Last Week)
Randle moved up one spot, though he is not in the top ten in any major category.
9. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings, 136 Cup Points: 42 Games, 3.22 Cup Points per Game, 20.0 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 7.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 22.9 PER, 6.2 WS. (#7 Last Week)
Sabonis is the current rebounding leader (12.7). The Sacramento King is also first in Rebounds (538), Defensive Rebounds (402), and is seventh in Assists per Game (7.9), and is the top ten in VORP (2.9) and Box Plus/Minus (5.9).
10. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, 131 Cup Points: 36 Games, 3.64 Cup Points Per Game, 29.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 24.1 PER, 5.0 WS. (#10 Last Week).
Durant remains a superstar and when he is healthy, he is among the best in the world. KD is scoring as good as always, but the chemistry in Phoenix is not there and we are seeing the same pattern that we have seen before. He is still an All-Star, a first-ballot Hall of Fame entrant, but does he make teams better? Lately, no.
The Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James again fell out of the top ten.
Our next update will be up on next Wednesday.
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