Ja Morant enters MVP conversation in latest NBA ranking

The NBA released the latest MVP ladder, in which Ja Morant entered the conversation for the most important award of the regular season.

Morant willed himself into the Top-5 after averaging 45.3 points over his last three games. Morant entered the Grizzlies 107-120 loss to Boston Thursday coming off a career-best performance of 52 points.

He had also scored 46 vs the Bulls in the previous game, having scored a franchise-record 98 points over a two-game span. Morant was at no.7 regarding his place in the MVP award ladder the previous week. He climbed three spots to enter the Top-5 for the first time this season.

https://t.co/Pqxh2EPubW – Kia MVP Ladder: Ja Morant making his move into MVP mix Memphis phenom Ja Morant is putting on a serious late-season Kia MVP push in our latest review of the award's top contenders. (via @mikecwright)https://t.co/t4R8BOTeft pic.twitter.com/yRZNiIeVrY — NBA (@NBA) March 4, 2022

The rest of the Top-5 remains unchanged outside of Morant’s addition. Nikola Jokic is still leading the race with 25.4 points, 13.8 and 7.9 assists per game. He registered his 50th double-double in the loss to Oklahoma City. The superstar hopes to see his co-stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning at some point. However, the Nuggets remain at good hands having won six of their last seven games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo retained the third place in the ranking as Milwaukee has registered back-to-back wins after dropping four of its previous five games. Giannis help his team to achieve a huge win over the Miami Heat despite Milwaukee trailing 14 points in the fourth quarter.  Antetokounmpo scored 14 of his 28 points in the final frame. The 2021 Finals MVP remains the only player alongside Jokic averaging 25-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and five-plus assists this season. He puts up 29.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists so far this season.

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers remained at the second place in his first week of playing alongside James Harden. Embiid dropped his 30th double-double of the season against the New York Knicks on Wednesday with 27 points and 12 rebounds to go with four assists and two blocks. The Sixers are 3-0 with Embiid and Harden in the lineup.However, the pairing will have to be tested in the postseason.

DeMar DeRozan is the last player to retain his position in the Top-5. The Bulls’ superstar was announced as the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February after he averaged 34.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists. The Bulls experienced two painful losses in the last two games. He put up 18 and 22 points in those games. The Bulls are on a three-game losing streak. The veteran forward registered 23.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per contest.

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