Final NBA MVP Power Rankings: Young superstar wins his first MVP

The Dallas Mavericks finished the 2023-24 NBA regular season with a 50-32 record. Getting past the 50-win mark was looked at as a near-impossible feat for this team at the beginning of the season, but after Wednesday's win over the Miami Heat, Dallas accomplished the unthinkable.

With Dallas securing the fifth seed, they will play the LA Clippers for the third time in five seasons in the first round of the playoffs. The first two times these two rivals faced off, it ended in a Mavericks first-round exit.

However, the Mavericks could have their best opportunity yet at overthrowing their longtime rival. Since the All-Star break, LA has been battling to keep its position as a top-four seed, and with Kawhi Leonard's health being questionable for the start of the first-round series, Dallas could take advantage of the Clippers' recent struggles.

Final NBA MVP Power Rankings: Young superstar wins his first MVP

Behind Luka Doncic, the Mavericks have rebounded after a shaky start to the season. Doncic has led the Mavericks in just about every statistical category, and in the process, he has helped the Mavericks to their second 50-win season in three years.

Despite Dallas finishing the regular season with many positives, it is clear that some players have struggled to find their touch throughout the winning streak. Fans shouldn't be sounding the alarms on any of these players, but getting a full-strength Tim Hardaway Jr. during the playoffs will be critical for the Mavericks championship efforts.

With 82 regular season games coming and going for each team, let's take a look at how this year's NBAA MVP Power Rankings finished.

10. Kevin Durant

Last rank: 8

Kevin Durant made a valiant effort all year long to compete amongst the best in the league. Despite never cracking the top five throughout the season, Durant punched his ticket in as a potential All-NBA Second Team candidate.

9. Anthony Davis

Last rank: 10

If positions still existed for the All-NBA teams, Anthony Davis' name would come up as a potential first-teamer. Despite his Los Angeles Lakers struggling to make it out of the Play-In race all year long, Davis has proven to be the most valuable player on his team.

8. Devin Booker

Last rank: 7

Alongside Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns ground out a sixth seed to finish the season. Unfortunately for them, they will face off against a red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves squad. If Phoenix somehow makes it out of that series, they could have a shot at overthrowing the defending champs.

7. Domantas Sabonis

Last rank: 6

Domantas Sabonis has had a historic season since the first game of the year. He broke one of the longest streaks in NBA history by recording 61 straight double-doubles. Unfortunately for him and the Sacramento Kings, they struggled to close out the final ten regular season games and have fallen into the ninth spot in the West.

6. Jalen Brunson

Last rank: N/A

Jalen Brunson ended his 2023-24 campaign on one of the best offensive streaks in NBA history. He didn't just lead his team to the second seed in the Eastern Conference, but he has also become a potential All-NBA First Team caliber player.

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