Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has picked up where he left off before his pre-All-Star Game injury, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to key wins over the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks in two of the club's last three games.
A combination of SGA's exceptionally historic play and other candidates' recent performances has given him a clear advantage over guys like Nikola Jokic and Cade Cunningham in the race for league MVP.
Thunder star is putting forth one of the best guard seasons of all time
It's no understatement to say this season from SGA is one for the history books.
There have been 49 seasons in which a guard has averaged 30 or more points per game, and Shai is the only one to shoot over 55 percent from the field.
To go along with his historic scoring, he is also controlling the ball like nobody else. Among all 30-point-per-game scorers in NBA history, he is averaging the fewest turnovers per game with 2.1.
What makes this season all the more impressive is the amount of defensive attention SGA faces. He sees countless double teams, bodies at the rim, and consistently has defensively slanted lineups around him.
Since coming back from his abdominal injury, he hasn't lost a step.
In his first game back, Shai had 36 points and nine assists, guiding an action-packed statement win over the Nuggets. Most recently, against the Knicks, a top-three defense in the last 10 games, he dropped 26 points and seven assists, shooting an efficient 68.1 percent true shooting.
His near-perfect play has put him in the perfect position for a runaway MVP.
Threats to Thunder star's MVP bid are falling behind
Before their injuries, the MVP battle between SGA and Nikola Jokic was gearing up to be quite legendary.
Now, since Jokic's return from injury, he has been a shell of himself. He is averaging 26.4 points, 13.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and roughly four turnovers, while shooting under 50.0 percent from the field and around 32.0 percent from three.
Of course, these stats are still mind-boggling, but his all-time efficiency and better overall offensive play have created an obvious place under SGA in the MVP race.
The other prominent MVP candidate, Cade Cunningham, has been making waves.
With the best record in the Eastern Conference and second-best in the NBA, it's hard not to be impressed with the Cunningham-led Detroit Pistons. He has filled the stat sheets this season, averaging about 25 points and 10 assists a night.
But despite the impressive production at face value, there are still glaring weaknesses within Cunningham's game. Of all 25-point-per-game scorers this season, he has the lowest true shooting percentage at 56.1 percent. Also, he is third in the NBA in turnovers per game at 3.8.
The one big advantage Cunningham has over SGA is his passing. He is one of the best pick-and-roll dime-droppers in the league and is phenomenal at creating open looks for teammates. However, the playmaking gap is not large enough to compensate for the significant flaws in his game.
Arguably, the most important part of the MVP argument is winning. Luckily for Shai, he is the best at that as well.
With him playing, the Thunder have a 78.8-win percentage, putting them on a 64-win pace. For Cunningham, they are at 74.1 percent, putting Detroit at about a 60-win pace. For Jokic, they have actually been worse as of late., as Denver has a 6-8 record since his return, and they only have a 60.9 win percentage with him this season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the pack in countless important stats, cementing this season as an all-time great campaign and building a strong argument to join exclusive company as a unanimous MVP.