NBA MVP Power Rankings: Kings' Sabonis surges into top 5 after strong showing

On Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks took on the Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back. Coming off a win against an injured Golden State Warriors the previous night, the Mavs were looking to extend their winning streak to five games in a row against the Thunder.

Unfortunately for Mavs fans, Luka Doncic got injured halfway through the fourth quarter in the win over the Warriors. Doncic seemed to have tweaked his hamstring, but there is hope he can play in Sunday's crucial matchup against the Denver Nuggets.

Against the Thunder, the Mavs battled all night long despite struggling with fouling and turnovers. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot a game-high 15 free throws in the 126-119 win over the Mavs.

NBA MVP Power Rankings: Kings' Sabonis surges into top 5 after strong showing

The Mavs coughed up 19 turnovers, where the majority of them occurred in the second half of the game. Additionally, the importance of Doncic was showcased on full display as the Mavericks struggled on offense throughout parts of the game.

Josh Green also went down early in the game with an ankle sprain. This injury couldn't have come at a worse time for the Mavs as they just got healthy and just started to find their identity.

With the Mavericks battling the injury bug once again, it has become more important for guys to step up, which is exactly what Kyrie Irving did against the Thunder. He finished with a game-high 36 points and 12 assists, and fans couldn't help but notice that Irving's confidence grew as the game treked on.

With Doncic looking increasingly available to play against the Nuggets, let's take a look at where Doncic ranks in this week's NBA MVP Power Rankings.

10. Anthony Davis

Last rank: 10

Anthony Davis has come alive in the second half of the season, and it's becoming clear he could make a legitimate case for making an All-NBA team. Despite getting bullied against the Kings, Davis has dominated all week.

9. Kevin Durant

Last rank: N/A

Kevin Durant climbs into the top ten once again, and he could be here for good. Outside of Thursday night's loss to the Celtics, Durant has scored over 35 points in four straight matchups.

8. Devin Booker

Last rank: 9

Devin Booker has struggled to stay on the floor consistently, but when on the floor, he will light it up. Booker has flourished as the Suns' lead ball handler and could make a case for one of the best guards in the league now.

7. Kawhi Leonard

Last rank: 8

Kawhi Leonard has emerged as one of the league's best forwards and has shown no signs of slowing down. Despite the Clippers reaching their first wall of the season, Leonard has looked like he can lead this LA team to the finals.

6. Jayson Tatum

Last rank: 5

Fans can make an argument that Jayson Tatum hasn't been the best player on his team over the last month. Jaylen Brown has emerged as an All-NBA candidate and has consistently led the Celtics over this last month.