As we reach the midway point of the NBA Midseason Awards 2024-25, the awards races have taken dramatic turns with shocking MVP candidates, breakout stars, and veteran resurgence stories reshaping the narrative. While preseason favorites like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo remain in contention, several dark horses have stormed into the conversation with historic performances.
In this exclusive 2,000-word midseason review, we analyze:
✅ The razor-thin MVP race with 5 legitimate contenders
✅ Rookie of the Year battle that’s closer than expected
✅ Coach of the Year candidates transforming franchises
✅ Advanced stats that reveal the true award favorites
✅ How the second half could swing each race
For real-time award tracking and expert analysis, visit NBA NewsZ, the web’s premier basketball analytics destination.
MVP Race: A Five-Man Battle Royale
1. Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
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Stats: 26.1 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 9.2 APG, 65.3% TS
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Case For: Leads NBA in win shares (9.8) and PER (32.1)
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Case Against: Voter fatigue after 2 MVPs
2. Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks)
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Stats: 33.7 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 9.8 APG
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Case For: Carrying Mavs to top-4 seed without Kyrie (20 games missed)
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Case Against: Defense still subpar (116.3 DRtg)
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
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Stats: 31.2 PPG, 5.8 APG, 2.3 SPG (league leader)
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Case For: OKC’s #1 seed + best clutch stats (+21.3 NetRtg)
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Case Against: Chet Holmgren stealing defensive spotlight
4. Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
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Stats: 27.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 4.9 APG
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Case For: Best player on NBA’s top team (33-9)
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Case Against: Loaded roster diminishes “value” argument
5. Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
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Stats: 23.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.9 BPG (league leader)
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Case For: Historic 5×5 potential + carrying awful roster
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Case Against: Spurs’ losing record (18-25)
Latest odds at NBA NewsZ:
Jokic (+180) | SGA (+220) | Luka (+350) | Tatum (+450) | Wemby (+800)
Rookie of the Year: NBA Midseason Awards 2024-25 Closer Than Expected
1. Alexandre Sarr (Charlotte Hornets)
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Stats: 15.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG
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Case For: Best two-way impact (leads rookies in win shares)
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X-Factor: Hornets’ unexpected playoff push
2. Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)
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Stats: 17.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 38.7% 3PT
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Case For: Most polished offensive game
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Concern: Defense needs work (-1.3 Def RAPTOR)
3. Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
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Stats: 12.5 PPG, 5.8 APG (leads rookies)
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Case For: Elite playmaking for Wembanyama
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Hurdle: Low scoring volume
Key Stat: Last 10 games have Sarr (+120) and Risacher (+150) neck-and-neck.
Defensive Player of the Year: Three-Way Tie
1. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
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Stats: 3.9 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 96.3 Def Rtg
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Signature: 8 games with 5+ blocks
2. Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves)
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Stats: 12.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG, 95.1 Def Rtg
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Case For: Anchors NBA’s #1 defense
3. Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
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Stats: 2.7 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 97.8 Def Rtg
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X-Factor: Guards 1-5 at elite level
Analytics Edge: Wemby leads in DPIPM (+3.1) but Gobert has team success.
Coach of the Year: Who’s Overachieving Most?
1. Mark Daigneault (Thunder)
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Case: OKC’s worst-to-first turnaround
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Stats: #2 offense, #3 defense
2. Chris Finch (Timberwolves)
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Case: Maintained elite D despite roster changes
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Stats: 1st in Def Rtg, 3rd in NetRtg
3. Ime Udoka (Rockets)
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Case: Transformed 29th-ranked D to top-5
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X-Factor: Developing young core faster than expected
Dark Horse: Gregg Popovich (Spurs +8 wins already)
Most Improved Player: Breakout Stars
1. Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
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Leap: 22.3 PPG → 27.1 PPG
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Key: Finally healthy + 39% 3PT
2. Jalen Williams (Thunder)
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Leap: 14.8 PPG → 20.3 PPG
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Signature: 58.2% TS as secondary creator
3. Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
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Leap: 5.3 APG → 7.9 APG
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Case: Full-time point forward role
Advanced Stat: Williams leads in RAPTOR WAR increase (+4.1).
Sixth Man of the Year: Bench Sparkplugs
1. Malik Monk (Kings)
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Stats: 18.2 PPG, 5.1 APG off bench
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Clutch: 4 game-winning shots
2. Tim Hardaway Jr. (Mavericks)
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Stats: 16.8 PPG, 41.3% 3PT
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Case: NBA’s best bench scorer
3. Naz Reid (Timberwolves)
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Stats: 14.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG
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X-Factor: Plays crunch-time over Gobert
Per 36: Monk averaging 24.3 PPG equivalent.
Second Half Predictions NBA Midseason Awards 2024-25: Who Will Separate?
MVP: Jokic pulls ahead with Denver’s easy schedule
ROY: Sarr’s defense gives him the edge
DPOY: Wemby’s blocks record too historic to ignore
COY: Daigneault’s story too compelling
Protest Pick: If Spurs make Play-In, Wemby enters MVP conversation.
How to Watch Award Races Unfold
✅ NBA Midseason Awards 2024-25 Award Watch (Weekly updates on TNT)
✅ Advanced Stats Tracking (ESPN Analytics)
✅ Voter Sentiment Reports (Via NBA NewsZ)
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