NBA MVP Power Rankings Week 3: Does Mitchell make the cut?

With all the shooters on the Philadelphia 76ers- Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Kelly Oubre Jr., De’Anthony Melton, etc., the reigning MVP creates more spacing than all of them when doubled in the post. He’s also got a lethal jumper in his arsenal that falls 45% of the time. Under coach Nick Nurse, he is recording a career-high in assists (5.9) after leading the league in scoring the last two years.

His free throw attempt average is down but still fourth in the NBA (9.1). His reliability drawing contact puts opponents in foul trouble and gives his team a breather at the line, which allows it to set its defense after the final try.

Defensively, he’s great in drop coverage and blocks 2.3 shots per game.

He does play with an elite ball handler and scorer next to Kyrie Irving, but Dončić is fouled on 13.5% of his attempts, putting him in the 87th percentile for his position. This certified scheme killer goes where he wants at a methodical pace, tallying 31.5 points per game plus assisting on 40% of his teammates’ baskets.

Considering age, size and skills, there’s just one more dangerous offensive weapon in the NBA- the guy who should have earned the MVP award last year and won three in a row for the first time since Larry Bird between 1984-86.

Dončić scores mostly without help and his main defensive contribution is retrieving nearly a quarter of its rebounds.