NBA MVP race 2026: Ranking the five strongest candidates
With Oklahoma City separating themselves in the West and Detroit’s shock rise reshaping the East, the MVP race has entered its most decisive phase.
While familiar superstars continue to lead the conversation, new names are forcing their way into the picture.
From scoring dominance to franchise-defining leadership, several players have built strong cases this year.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Jake Reed gives a ranking of the five strongest candidates so far.
NBA news: Jaylen Brown praises Jayson Tatum’s recovery as Celtics star nears return
Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown conducted a pre-All-Star media conference on Sunday, February 15, where he offered an encouraging update on his longtime running mate, Jayson Tatum, who nears a return following a 10-month absence from a torn Achilles injury.
In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Ethan Pitts breaks down Brown’s comments and what Tatum’s progress could mean for Boston’s title push.
NBA 2025/26: Whose Championship Odds Have Shrunk Throughout the First Half of the Season?
The defending NBA champions haven’t missed a beat. Oklahoma City’s 36-8 record through mid-January has turned the regular season into something that feels less like a race and more like everyone else fighting for second place.
After being considered +230 shots in preseason, the popular Lucky-Rebel betting site now positions OKC as a mightily short +115 favourite to repeat as champions. And truth be told, they have played like a team that deserves top billing. But the more interesting story lives a tier below them, where a handful of franchises have forced oddsmakers to admit they misread the room.
The real story of the championship odds board is how those teams have dragged themselves from the long-shot margins to the centre of the conversation.
NBA news: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Brown and the MVP favourites after Nikola Jokic’s injury
While he remains in first place on the MVP ladder, Nikola Jokic suffered a knee injury against the Miami Heat in December and is reported to be out until the end of January.
The Serbian’s absence has allowed other leading players in the league to make a worthy claim for the MVP award, with the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hitting form at the perfect time.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Finn Littlewood takes a look at the contenders in what is turning out to be an unpredictable MVP race.
NBA news: Five key talking points ahead of Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks game six
It has been another whirlwind week in the NBA play-offs and no series has epitomised that more than the showdown between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks.
Sports News Blitz writer Ethan Pitts looks at five key talking points from game five ahead of Friday’s clash at Madison Square Garden.