Because of the rise of the Celtics, Jaylen Brown joins the top 5

Injuries always play a major role during every NBA season and directly affect this year’s MVP race. Victor Vembanyama has already missed several games due to a calf injury, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is also sidelined with a calf problem.

Both players are at risk of missing 17 or more games and being deemed ineligible for the MVP award. This year’s NBA MVP race was affected even before it began as Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles injury in the playoffs last year with the Boston Celtics and may not play until the final month of the season.

Many thought this injury would severely limit the Celtics’ overall potential and cause them to fall in the Eastern standings, but Jailen Brown tried to do everything in his power to keep Boston at the top of the table.

The Celtics have won five straight gameslongest active winning streak in the East, and are now 15-9 overall, just four games behind the Detroit Pistons for first place.

Brown has been sensational this season, averaging a career-high 29.1 points and shooting an average of 21.6 field goals per game. third in the NBA this season. Throughout his career, Brown has always been scrutinized alongside Tatum, and never had the chance to prove he was a true superstar, even after winning the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.

Now that he’s been thrust into the top spot on the Celtics’ roster, Brown is making the most of his opportunity and proving to be the leader Boston needs this season. But it wasn’t just Brown who put the Celtics in a position to succeed, as everyone stood up for Joe Mazzula after Tatum was ejected.

Although he is the only All-Star on the roster, Brown acknowledges the accomplishments of his teammates until now, and knows that without them he could not have achieved the success he has.

“It’s easy to focus on what you’re seeing now, but if you go back to the preseason, we’re in a much different space now,” Brown said after the team’s recent 123-117 win over the New York Knicks. “There’s been tremendous growth from a lot of guys. Nimmy (Ketta), Jordan (Walsh), Josh (Minot), even Baylor (Scheyerman), Peyton (Pritchard). We’re continuing to take it one step at a time, but the best is yet to come.”

Suddenly, with the East wide open, the Celtics are once again proving they can be a championship-worthy team after a quarter of a season. More specifically, Brown is proving that he has the ability to maintain his recent success and be in the MVP race with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokicand others.

Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: 6th week | 5th week | 4th week | 3rd week | 2nd week | 1st week

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder

Previous rank: #1

2025-26 Stats: 23 games, 32.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 55.6 FG%, 44.3 3P%

At this point, it really isn’t crazy to think that the Oklahoma City Thunder will break the Golden State Warriors’ 73-9 record from 2015-16. The Thunder are currently 23-1, and they are on pace to only lose three or four games this entire season.

Michael Jordan won the MVP award when the Chicago Bulls won 72 games during the 1995-96 season, and Stephen Curry won the award when the Warriors won 73 games. Why wouldn’t Shai Gilgeous-Alexander win his second consecutive MVP award if the Thunder won over 70 games?

Gilgeous-Alexander was not tested by any team in the 23 games he played, and his 20-point streak reached 95 straight games after scoring 38 points against the Golden State Warriors and then 33 points against the Dallas Mavericks. He is now 31 consecutive 20-plus point games since breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 127 consecutive games.

Regardless of the numbers Jokic and others put up, Gilgeous-Alexander has the clearest path to winning his second consecutive MVP award. Unless he gets injured, it’s hard to imagine him and the Thunder falling off the podium.

2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets

Previous rank: #2

2025-26 stats: 23 games, 29.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 61.2 FG%, 41.4 3P%

During the past week, Nikola Jokic averaged 30.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 11.3 assists per game as he helped the Denver Nuggets go 3-1. Denver is now 17-6 this season, and the three-time MVP has done everything he can to keep his team in championship position despite injuries to Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun.

Obviously, it helps to have a dynamic guard like Jamal Murray by his side, but Jokic had at least 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in all four of the Nuggets’ games last week. This included an excellent performance of 40 points in the Nuggets’ comeback against the Atlanta Hawks.

Jokic continues to lead the league in both triple-doubles and double-doubles by a wide margin, and is currently fifth in scoring. The Nuggets star also leads the NBA in rebounds and assists, which is why he’s currently in the MVP conversation with Gilgeous-Alexander.

The only reason Gilgeous-Alexander is ahead in the race now is because of the Thunder’s historic 23-1 start, which puts them in prime position to challenge for the best record in NBA history.

3. Luka Dončić – Los Angeles Lakers

Previous rank: #3

2025-26 Stats: 17 games, 35.0 points, 9.2 assists, 9.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 47.2 FG%, 33.5 3P%

Although he only played two games last week due to personal matters, Luka Doncic was fantastic in both of these matches.

He first had 38 points and 11 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 125-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns and recently returned from a two-game layoff on Sunday, dropping 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in the team’s 112-108 win over the No. 7 Philadels. This was Dončić’s second triple-double of the season.

The Lakers will play in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup on Wednesday night, and in the group game they won 4:0 because of Doncic’s heroics. He currently leads the league with highest point average in NBA Cup games all-time, and he leads the NBA in scoring this season with 35 points per game.

Doncic’s MVP resume is currently spotless, except for the fact that he has missed six games and was allowed to miss 11 more to remain eligible.

Previous rank: #5

2025-26 stats: 21 games, 27.5 points, 9.3 assists, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 45.2 FG%, 29.9 3P%

Despite some of the recent struggles for the Detroit Pistons, this team is still 19-5 thanks to the leadership of Cade Cunningham.

Cade is the best player on the best team in the Eastern Conference and is currently 11th in the league in scoring with 27.5 points per game. Cunningham and Jokic are the only players in the NBA this season averaging at least 27 points, nine assists and six rebounds per game, making him a real MVP candidate if he’s not just looking at his team’s success.

His 23-point, 12-assist performance in the Pistons’ 124-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday was Cunningham’s 12th double-double of the season, tied for eighth in the NBA.

5. Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics

Previous rank: Not ranked

2025-26 stats: 23 games, 29.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 49.6 FG%, 36.3 3P%

With Giannis Antetokounmpo falling off the MVP rankings after missing his eighth game of the season, Brown made the top five because of how well he’s led the Celtics to this point.

Not only is Brown one of six players averaging at least 29 points per game this season, he has scored at least 30 points in six of his last seven games. He can make it four straight games with at least 30 points Thursday against the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks.

The Celtics are 15-9 this season and just behind the Pistons and New York Knicks for first place in the East. If his results continue and Brown keeps Boston in the Eastern Conference championship equation, he will continue to receive MVP honors.

It’s just missing the cut

6. Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks (ranked 4th last week)

7. Jaylen Johnson – Atlanta Hawks (No. 8 last week)

8. Alperen Sengun – Houston Rockets (7th place last week)

9. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs (6th place last week)

10. Tyrese McKay – Philadelphia 76ers (No. 10 last week)