NBA MVP Power Rankings: Nikola Jokic stays at No. 1, who drops?

The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up their West Coast road trip with a 107-88 loss to the LA Clippers.

The team finds themselves 10-6, having lost three out of the last four games. In addition, the lone win against the Los Angeles Lakers was not a feel-good win as they almost choked a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Mavs have done little to excite fans over this last week, and it ultimately trickled into their 30-point defeat at the hands of one of their fiercest rivals. It didn't take the Clippers long to crack the Mavericks on offense, as the team only tallied a season-low 88 points.

NBA MVP Power Rankings: Nikola Jokic stays at No. 1, who drops?

It's hard to extract any positives from such an ugly loss, but the Mavericks' defense looked amazing at times in this game. The Clippers are a relatively potent offense, so holding them to 107 can be considered a small victory for the Mavs. Earlier this week, the Mavs fell back down to the bottom five in the league for team defense, so seeing a resurgence on the defensive end is a positive.

Center Richaun Holmes had a huge impact on the Mavs defensively. He was constantly cutting off driving lanes or forcing tough shots down low, which the Clippers got accustomed to making. With Dereck Lively II out due to a lower back contusion, the emergence of Holmes has become a welcomed sight for Mavs fans.

Additionally, Luka Doncic left off where he last ended and had a game-high 30 points in 38 minutes. However, his dominance over the Clippers meant nothing, as only two other Mavericks had double-digit scoring efforts.

Despite an ugly loss, it's clear to see that Doncic is still a glaring MVP candidate. Let's take a look at the MVP Power Rankings for this week.

5. Jayson Tatum

Last week's rank: 4

Jayson Tatum drops one spot for the first time this season.

The former Blue Devil continues his dominance on the season but will drop one spot with the Boston Celtics' recent struggles. The team recently lost in blowout fashion to the Orlando Magic, and Tatum seemingly disappeared at times in the game.

Despite the loss, the Celtics have taken care of business, beating the Milwaukee Bucks just days before facing the Magic. In that game, Tatum would drop 23 points and 11 rebounds on poor efficiency.

Regardless of a few bad games here and there, Tatum has looked like the definitive team leader in Boston. He's now averaging 28 points and nine rebounds per contest and has led the Celtics' to a 13-4 start to begin the season.

Tatum's efficiency will need to improve as the season grows older, as he's hovering just under 45 percent from the field in the last week.

Despite some recent struggles and dropping one spot in the Power Rankings, Tatum has continued to make his MVP case strong and will likely continue to do so.

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Last week's rank: N/A

After dropping out of the top five last week, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had a resurgence in play.

The Thunder star has played amazing over the last week and has led Oklahoma City to an 11-5 record which is currently second best in the Western Conference. The Thunder's recent winning can be attributed directly to the play of Shai and how he has made others around him better.

Over Oklahoma City's last four games, Shai has averaged just over 34.5 points per game. if Shai is to continue on this hot streak of dominance, he will quickly rise on this list. He has even accounted for 16 steals over the last six games; this would be on pace for almost four steals per game.

Shai's dominance this season should come as no surprise for basketball fans. Over the summer in the FIBA World Cup, Shai would lead his country of Canada to their first-ever medal in Men's Basketball play. This was not only a huge leap for Canadian basketball but also for Shai because it showed he could lead his team.

With the NBA season now well underway, fans have gotten a glimpse into just how beneficial playing for the Canadian national team has helped Shai mature.

The Thunder's schedule will only get tougher as the season tracks along. The Mavericks and Thunder will play for the first time on December 2.

3. Luka Doncic

Last week's rank: 2

Luka Doncic will drop one spot after the Mavericks recent struggles.

Doncic and the Mavs currently look at a 10-6 record, but after losing three out of their last four games, it's clear something isn't right in Dallas. The loss of Dereck Lively II has had a huge impact on the team and that can be seen in the Mavericks' loss to the Clippers.

However, even with the loss of Lively, it's clear the team's struggles have come defensively. Early in the season, when the Mavs started hot, the team bonded over their defensive assignments. Now, just over a month into the new season, it's clear the Mavericks' struggles are still apparent from last year.

Despite the Mavericks' recent struggles, Doncic has looked wizardly in almost every game. The Mavericks' West Coast road trip may have exposed the Mavs defensively, but it didn't expose Doncic on offense. He scored 30 points in both games and had some sweet passes to Kyrie Irving late in the win over the Lakers.

For the season, Doncic has averaged 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game. With numbers like these, Doncic could easily become this year's MVP, but it all hinges on how the Mavericks perform this season.

The Mavericks' schedule won't get any easier from here. They will play the Houston Rockets on Tuesday for their first matchup this season against their in-state rival.

2. Joel Embiid

Last week's rank: 3

Joel Embiid has continued to dazzle all season long, and it's been no different after this past week, which is why he jumped up one spot.

Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers have continued their streak of dominance going 11-5 to begin the season. After a small two-game hiccup, the team has since bounced back with Embiid in the lineup. Fans got a look at what the Sixers would look like without Embiid earlier this week as they would fall 112-99 in what could be a future finals matchup.

When available, Embiid hasn't missed a beat from last year's MVP season. He has averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks per contest. With numbers like this, he could become one of the rare back-to-back MVP winners in recent memory.

Additionally, Embiid has looked to be the most consistent 30 points per game on this list. In almost every Sixers win, Embiid has had a huge effect down low, dominating the low blocks against every matchup.

Embiid hasn't been alone in the process though. Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has looked to be an MVP candidate in his own right, posting just over 25 points per contest. Without Maxey's emergence, it could be argued that Embiid may not even be on this list. A lot of what Embiid relies on is for a guard to create the open space that Embiid will get when in the paint.

Embiid and the 76ers will take on the Mavericks for the first time on February 5.

1. Nikola Jokic

Last week's rank: 1

Nikola Jokic continues showcasing his dominance all season long which is why he stays at one.

The Denver Nuggets have run into their first bit of adversity this season after losing four out of their last six games. Now sitting at 11-6 the former champions will look to bounce back and they did exactly this with a 132-120 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

In the win, Jokic had a near triple-double with 39 points 11 rebounds, and nine assists in the Nuggets' effort to beat the Spurs. Again, this was an absolute masterclass out of Jokic, as he put his team on his back to get a much-needed win.

However, this isn't out of the ordinary for Jokic. In the Nuggets' last three games, Jokic has dropped 30-point games and near triple-doubles in all appearances. On Friday, Jokic would even tally 19 rebounds in an unfortunate loss to the Rockets.

Despite the Nuggets' recent struggles, it's clear that Jokic has not been the reason. Team leaders Jamaal Murray and Aaron Gordan have been largely sidelined due to sporadic injuries that occur throughout a given season.

If Jokic can continue to stay healthy and play incredibly, the Nuggets will always have a puncher's chance to win every game, even despite the team's recent injury bug. The Dallas Mavericks will get their next crack at Jokic in a mid-December matchup. For more news on Mavericks basketball, stay plugged in.