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. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 208 Cup Points: 50 Games, 4.16 Cup Points Per Game, 31.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 6.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 30.7 PER, 10.8 WS. Last Week #2.
Gilgeous-Alexander broke through to the upper-tier last season, and he is proving that this was no fluke. Taking over as the league-leader in Cup Points, He is leading the NBA in Steals per Game (2.2), Steals (112), Points (1,594) Free Throws (403), and Win Shares (10.8). SGA is also second in VORP (5.3), third in Points per Game (31.1), PER (30.7), and Box Plus/Minus (10.3) 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.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 206 Cup Points: 49 Games, 4.20 Cup Points per Game, 31.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 29.5 PER, 8.5 WS. Last Week, #3.
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 second in Points per Game (31.3), fifth in Rebounds per Game (11.3), and is the league-leader in Field Goals (574).
3. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 201 Cup Points, 49 Games, 4.10 Cup Points per Game, 26.3, PPG, 12.2 RPG, 9.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 32.0 PER, 10.6 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, however, he has fallen off the top spot. At present, the Joker is leading the NBA in Box Plus/Minus (14.3), VORP (6.9) and Triple Doubles (15). He is also second in PER (32.0), Win Shares (10.6), third in Rebounds per Game (12.2), and fourth in Assists per Game (9.0). Jokic also was named the November Player of the Month. Can he reclaim the top before the season ends?
4 TIE. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 172 Cup Points: 48 Games, 3.58 Cup Points per Game, 26.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 21.6 PER, 6.3 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, and is poised to take the Celtics on his back to a title.
4 TIE. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 172 Cup Points: 43 Games, 4.00 Cup Points per Game, 34.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 9.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 27.8 PER, 6.8 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 took over the NBA lead in Points per Game (34.5) and Minutes per Game (37.4), third in Assists per Game (9.4), eighth in Steals per Game (1.4), and is in the top ten in PER (27.8), Win Shares (6.8), Box Plus/Minus (9.3), and VORP (4.7).
6. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings, 164 Cup Points: 50 Games, 3.22 Cup Points per Game, 19.9 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 8.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 23.0 PER, 7.5 WS. (#8 Last Week)
Sabonis is the current rebounding leader (13.1), Rebounds (656), Defensive Rebounds (497), Triple-Doubles (15) and is seventh in Assists per Game (8.1), and is the top ten in VORP (3.6) and Box Plus/Minus (6.1).
7. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks, 154 Cup Points: 49 Games, 3.14 Cup Points Per Game, 27.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 22.0 PER, 7.0 WS. (#10 Last Week).
Jalen Brunson is having the season of his life, and has just added his first (impending) All-Star Game. He is currently fifth in seventh in Win Shares (7.0) and eighth in Points per Game (27.2).
8 (TIE). Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, 150 Cup Points, 34 Games, 4.41 Cup Points per Game, 35.3, PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 34.3 PER, 7.0 WS. (Last Week #6)
Embiid is the reigning MVP, NIHOF Cup Winner, and two-time scoring champion, but is facing injury time, and will be out for the next few weeks. Had he been healthy, he would be number one,
8 (TIE). Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, 150 Cup Points: 44 Games, 3.41 Cup Points Per Game, 28.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 23.4 PER, 6.0 WS. (Not in the Top Ten Last Week).
Durant returns to the top ten, and the Suns have improved. He has moved up to fifth in Points per Game (28.3) and tenth in PER (23.4), Box Plus/Minus (5.8) and VORP (3.2)
10. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, 149 Cup Points: 48 Games, 3.15 Cup Points per Game, 24.7 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.4 BPG, 25.3 PER, 7.3 WS. (#7 Last Week)
Davis is currently third in Rebounds per Game (12.3), and is the healthiest he has been in years. He is also fifth in Blocks per Game (2.4), and Win Shares (7.3) and seventh in PER (25.3)
Los Angeles’s LeBron James and New York’s Julius Randle fell out of the top ten.
Our next update will be up on next Thursday.
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