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From left: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), LeBron James (Lakers) and Luka Doncic (Mavericks). USA TODAY Sports: Rick Osentoski | Russ Isabella | Jerome Miron

NBA quarter-season awards: MVP race? It's a jump ball.

By Pat Heery | Last updated 12/9/19

All NBA teams have played more than 20 games in the 82-game regular season, so it’s time to hand out quarter-season awards for Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and best sixth man, rookie and coach:

MVP

1a. LeBron James, Lakers | 1b. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks | 1c. Luka Doncic, Mavericks | 1d. James Harden, Rockets

There’s no definitive MVP through a quarter of the season because there are four equally deserving candidates.

LeBron James is on a mission to prove his critics wrong with his #WashedKing tour. He has the Lakers out to a 21-3 start and is controlling each game’s tempo, manipulating defenses and closing out opponents in fourth quarters.

In his 17^th season, James has turned himself into the league’s best point guard, averaging an NBA-best 10.8 assists. At Anthony Davis’ request, he has recommitted himself on the defense and has a plus-14 net rating –- his best since his final season with the Heat. Oh, and he’s still averaging 25.9 points and 6.8 rebounds. James’ name is littered throughout the leaderboards of just about every advanced analytics category too. He has the top assist percentage and is in the top-six of player efficiency rating, win shares, box score plus/minus and value above replacement.

After winning his first career MVP award last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is even better this season. He has increased his scoring from 27.7 to 30.9 points per game and his rebounding from 12.5 to 13.2. He’s still dishing out 5.4 assists per game as well. This is all in only 31.6 minutes a night! On defense, Antetokounmpo leads the league in defensive rating and defensive win shares. Oh, and the Bucks are 21-3, tied with the Lakers for best NBA record.

One more fun Giannis stat: If the season ended today, his 33.8 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) would shatter the season record (31.8) set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962-63, when he averaged 44.8 points and 24.3 rebounds.

Luka Doncic also has a legitimate shot at the top PER ever -- he's at 31.6. Few players have made a second-year leap as Doncic has. He has increased his scoring by 8.8 points, assists by 3.2 and rebounds by 2.0 per game. Although he is only 20, Doncic is putting up 30.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game. He also leads the NBA in triple-doubles (7), box score plus/minus and value over replacement.

Doncic plays like a more fun version of James Harden, running spread pick-and-rolls and isolations to near perfection. After playing a hybrid forward-guard position as a rookie, the Mavericks have turned him into a full-time point guard, which is evident by the increase in his usage rate (30.5 to 36.7). If he improves his three-point accuracy (32 percent) and keeps Dallas neat the top of the West (currently third), he could become the youngest MVP in league history.

Speaking of James Harden, if you thought his MVP candidacy last season was polarizing, get ready for some serious drama this spring, especially if he averages 40 points a game (he’s at 38.5). I recently wrote about the sheer statistical absurdity of Harden’s 2019-20 season. Whether you enjoy watching Harden hunt fouls and exploit efficiency loopholes or not (I hate it), he’s going to earn MVP consideration if he averages the most points since Chamberlain in the 1960s.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

1. Luka Doncic, Mavericks | 2. Pascal Siakam, Raptors | 3. Fred VanVleet, Raptors | 4. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans | 5. Devonte Graham, Hornets

The Most Improved Player Award desperately needs established criteria.

Is this award intended for a player who explodes on the scene out of nowhere? Or a known player who makes a leap from star to superstar? Can a second-year player win the award? Can a player win the award two years in a row? Without an agreed upon set of factors to consider, the votes for this award are going to be all over the place this season. Consider some of the following cases:

Because of his MVP candidacy, it almost feels like slander to even consider Luka Doncic for the MIP award. Yet it’s undeniable how much he has improved this season.

Pascal Siakam has a legitimate shot at winning the MIP Award in back-to-back seasons, which is unprecedented. But if he continues to play like a first-team All-NBA performer, he'd deserve it. Siakam’s scoring has increased from 16.9 to 24.5 points a game and his rebounding from 6.9 to 8.4. He plays All-NBA defense, often covering the other team’s best player no matter the position.

Siakam’s sidekick, Fred VanVleet, has carried over his Conference Finals and Finals magic from last spring into this season, averaging 18 points and seven assists. VanVleet has supplanted Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol as the Raptors' second-best player. He has played so well that he reportedly may receive a $25-$30M contract next summer.

Although they play for subpar teams, Brandon Ingram and Devonte’ Graham deserve mention here too. Ingram is beginning to fulfill his potential as a go-to scorer, upping his per-game averages from 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists last season to 24.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Graham has gone from Kemba Walker’s little-used backup (4.7 ppg, 2.6 apg. last season) as a rookie to the Hornets’ best player as a sophomore. He averages 18.8 points and 7.8 assists and is shooting 41.5 percent on 8.7 three-point attempts per game.

Clippers guard Lou Williams. Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

SIXTH MAN

1a. Lou Williams, Clippers | 1b. Montrezl Harrell, Clippers | 3. Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets (if he qualifies)

It’s pretty safe to assume the NBA’s Sixth Man Award is heading back to LA again this season –- either to Lou Williams for an NBA-record fourth time or his pick-and-roll partner, Montrezl Harrell. Despite coming off the bench, Williams plays the second-most minutes (30.9) on the Clippers and averages 20.6 points and 6.2 assists. He’s as unstoppable as ever with his left-fading jumper and penchant for difficult shot-making near the end of the shot clock. If he isn’t getting buckets, it’s because he’s making smart pick-and-roll decisions and getting the ball to one of the game’s best roll men in Harrell. Harrell averages 18.8 points and 7.8 rebounds, has a plus-17 net rating per 100 possessions and an impressive 24.3 PER.

Spencer Dinwiddie deserves a little love here too, as he has filled in admirably for Kyrie Irving as starting point guard –- so well, in fact, that he won Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November. Dinwiddie averages 20.6 points and 6.2 assists, but he may start too many games to qualify for the award.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

ROOKIE

1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies | 2. Eric Paschall, Warriors | 3. Tyler Herro, Heat

The Rookie of the Year race is sad.

Besides Ja Morant, who has been impressive (19.1 ppg. and 6.4 apg.), most of the rest of the lottery picks have underwhelmed. The Heat’s Tyler Herro (drafted No. 13) is the only lottery pick after Morant, who was picked second overall, to stand out as an obvious stud. He has had monster games off the bench on his way to averaging 14.5 points on 45-39-83 shooting splits. Eric Paschall (No. 41) has also played well as the Warriors’ de facto go-to guy, averaging 16.6 points and 5.2 rebounds.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

COACH

1. Erik Spoelstra, Heat 2. Frank Vogel, Lakers 3. Brad Stevens, Celtics

The Coach of the Year race will make you nostalgic for the early 2010s. It’s shaping up as a battle of old Eastern Conference rivals, with the Heat’s Erik Spoelstra and the Lakers’ (and former Indiana Pacers’) Frank Vogel leading the way. Spoelstra has the Heat out to a surprisingly good record (17-6) despite having a quirky roster with only one star (Jimmy Butler) and a lot of youth.

Vogel is doing an excellent job managing egos and installing a top-notch defensive system in Los Angeles for the Lakers. The Celtics’ Brad Stevens has his squad (17-5) playing great team basketball (eighth-best offense) and defense (third best).

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