LeBron James, Tyrese Haliburton become first MVP candidates

If we learned anything about the group stages of the inaugural NBA in-season tournament, it’s that the event was an even bigger success. All 30 teams embraced the idea of ​​playing for some purpose early in the season, and as a result, we got some high-level games with a playoff atmosphere in various arenas around the league. Not to mention, there were some interesting ways to score in the point-spread tiebreaker. Now, only eight teams remain, with several stars emerging as favorites to win MVP of the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics are the eight teams that have advanced to the quarterfinals , all teams have won at least three group stage games to reach this point. The Kings, Lakers, Bucks and Pacers are the only four teams that still have perfect tournament records.

One of the teams listed above will eventually win the first-ever NBA Cup, but there’s more to come. In addition to the prize money, there’s certainly a sense of pride in being named MVP of the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.

LeBron James clearly wants to win this award, as he led the Lakers to a perfect 4-0 record. Then there’s Tyrese Haliburton, who the Pacers are 4-0 on, and who is nearly impossible to stop on the offensive end given his playmaking abilities. Three other notable All-Stars are vying for NBA in-season tournament MVP, which is why their success in the group stages should carry over into the knockout rounds.

Winning is crucial in determining who gets tournament MVP honors, which is why all five players listed below still have plenty of chances to strive for it. Here are the top candidates for NBA in-season tournament MVP honors based on their performance so far.

Honorable mentions: Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), Donovan Mitchell ( Cleveland Cavaliers), Alperon Sengun (Houston Rockets), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)

1. Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers

NBA in-season tournament data: 4 games, 28.5 points, 13.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 49.3% shooting, 36.7% three-point shooting

Tyrese Haliburton went from rookie to All-Star a season ago and will take the next step in his career as a superstar point guard in the NBA. The Indiana Pacers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Group A to advance to the tournament. There’s a reason the Pacers are the best offensive team in the league right now, and that’s the way Haliburton runs Indiana’s offense.

Haliburton leads all players in the tournament with 13.5 assists per game but has committed just 11 turnovers in four games. Haliburton has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.9:1, which is why he currently sits atop the NBA season tournament MVP standings.

In addition to his playmaking and play-facilitating duties, Haliburton also developed into a scorer. The Pacers guard ranked 12th in scoring entering the game and shot 46.7 percent from three-point range, fourth among all players in the group stage. Given that no one thinks the Pacers can be a team capable of winning an NBA season championship, Haliburton deserves a lot of MVP consideration.

2. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers

NBA in-season tournament data: 4 games, 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 60.0% shooting, 58.3% three-point shooting

If there’s one player in the league who 100 percent wants to win the NBA’s in-season tournament MVP, it’s LeBron James. It would be another accessory to James’ extensive collection, and it seems fitting that he would win the award while leading the Lakers to a title in the inaugural tournament. LeBron, 38, continues to lead his team, and he’s done just that this season, with Anthony Davis emerging as the Lakers’ only reliable contributor.

In four tournament games, James is 14-for-24 (58.3%) from 3-point range, with no made or missed shots from the corner. Like Haliburton, LeBron has led the Lakers to a 4-0 record in Western Conference Group A, a group that many refer to as the easiest tournament group because three of the teams are currently ranked in the league Bottom.

The Lakers shouldn’t be in a position to contend for the NBA Cup given their recent struggles, but James has stepped up in every game and led Los Angeles to victory. Whether it’s scoring, rebounding or passing, James has done it all. When the quarterfinals come around, no one will be surprised to see LeBron go all out, especially since he’ll be facing off against Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.

NBA in-season tournament data: 3 games, 36.0 points, 8.7 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 48.7% shooting, 38.5% three-point shooting

Of all the players in the league, De’Aaron Fox undoubtedly has the best resume in group play. The only reason he’s not ranked ahead of Haliburton and James is that he’s only played in three tournament games. However, in these three games, Fox scored at least 29 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in each game.

Fox’s 36.0 points per game lead all players who have played in at least three group games, and the Kings are now in the lead. Sacramento is 4-0 in Western Conference Group C, earning a much-needed win against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night despite trailing by 24 points heading into this game. Fox made 9 of 17 free throws in the game, but he scored 29 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists against the Warriors to lead Sacramento into the knockout stage.

We all know what Fox is capable of, as he was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year last season. Fox is a true all-league talent and the face of the Kings franchise, and he might finally be able to get his team in the right direction after a rocky start to the season.

4. Devin Booker – Phoenix Suns

NBA in-season tournament data: 3 games, 30.7 points, 8.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 55.4% shooting, 50.0% three-point shooting

The Phoenix Suns are the only team in the Western Conference with a 3-1 record in the semifinals of the NBA In-Season Championship. Their only loss was to the Los Angeles Lakers, a game in which Devin Booker did not play. The math here is simple: When Booker plays, the Suns win. Given that the Suns are 8-1 with their superstar guards healthy, that’s almost 100% accurate for the entire regular season as well.

Booker was one of 11 players in the league averaging at least 30 points per game during the group stage, and his 8.3 assists per game ranked ninth. If there’s one player we can count on in big moments, especially during games, it’s Booker. As evidenced by his recent three-game winning streak against the New York Knicks, the Suns need Booker healthy just as much as they need Kevin Durant.

Phoenix faced the Lakers in the quarterfinals. If they advance to Las Vegas for the semifinals and possibly the championship game, Booker’s accomplishments will be hard to ignore. This game between the Suns and Lakers is essentially a LeBron vs. James mini-war. Booker won the NBA in-season tournament MVP award.

NBA in-season tournament statistics: 4 games, 30.0 points, 7.0 assists, 52.2% shooting, 48.4% three-point shooting

While Giannis Antetokounmpo may be getting all the attention for the Milwaukee Bucks, Damian Lillard has been the driving force of this team during the group stages of the NBA in-season tournament. Lillard currently leads the Bucks in scoring in the tournament and has not scored less than 27 points in the tournament.

The Bucks defeated the New York Knicks and Miami Heat 4-0 in the group stage to advance to the quarterfinals. Now, the Milwaukee Bucks will face the Knicks again in the knockout stages, with Lillard looking to replicate his previous 30-point performance against New York.

Lillard shot 15-for-31 (48.4%) from beyond the arc in the tournament and was the Bucks’ primary assist-to-turnover ratio with a 3.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. A lot of people picked the Bucks when they started winning it all in this tournament, and now they’re three wins away from winning it all. The quarterfinals are right around the corner and heading to Vegas is just around the corner, which is why Lillard is preparing himself to win the NBA Season Championship MVP.