The Blazers keep on keeping on, with Damian Lillard maintaining his status as one of the NBA’s elite lead guards. CJ McCollum is coming off his first career triple-double as well. Jusuf Nurkic is having the best season of his NBA tenure.
After sitting below .500 for much of the season, the Jazz have rallied and reasserted themselves as Western Conference contenders. Donovan Mitchell is reminding fans of his star potential and Rudy Gobert might win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards.
The Rockets’ depth (or lack thereof) means they probably won’t replicate last season’s playoff success. Even so, James Harden is the current MVP favorite, averaging over 36 points per game. He’s been downright insane.
The Nuggets are staunch at home and sit second in the Western Conference despite countless injuries. Nikola Jokic deserves fringe MVP buzz, sitting in the same tier as Embiid, Paul George and LeBron James.
OKC, boasting one of the NBA’s best defenses, has the weaponry to make noise in the postseason. Steven Adams and Russell Westbrook have been effective, while Paul George is taking it to another level. Dennis Schroder, Jerami Grant and Nerlens Noel highlight a solid supporting cast.