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.

5. Domantas Sabonis

Last rank: 6

Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings are rolling despite only being sixth in the Western Conference. The Kings have now won four out of their last five and only seem to be getting better.

Sabonis has become the double-double machine and is currently on an insane streak of 47 double-doubles in a row. It makes that streak even more crazy when you consider that Sabonis missed out on the All-Star game this season.

Additionally, Sabonis has emerged as the league's best rebounder this season. Sabonis is currently averaging 13.6 rebounds per game and has had multiple games of 25 plus rebounds since the All-Star break.

Being snubbed from the All-Star Game has seemingly filled the forward's motivation to prove the voters wrong. He has led the Kings to the sixth seed and one of the frontrunners in the play-in race.

Sabonis' leadership has kept the Kings afloat all season despite having multiple stretches of injuries to star players. Sacramento guard De'Aaron Fox has missed multiple games with nagging injuries and in those stretches of games, Sabonis has rallied the Kings to multiple wins.

The debate about who is the leader of the Kings has seemingly disappeared throughout this season and it's due to Sabonis' leadership and consistent availability. Sabonis has yet to miss a game for the 2023-24 NBA season yet he has suffered multiple injuries.

Having an Iron Man player like Sabonis is critical for any franchise that wishes to win a championship. The Kings will play the New York Knicks next for a chance to win three in a row.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Last rank: 4

Since coming out of the All-Star break winning five games in a row, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have only managed to win three of the last six games. Giannis has played in five of those six games and has been a dominant figure in all five games played.

The one game that Antetokounmpo missed was a critical game against the LA Clippers. The Bucks managed to scratch out a victory against the highly-seeded Clippers, and it's even more impressive when you factor in that Antetokounmpo missed that game.

Since his one-game absence, Antetokounmpo has dominated despite only winning two games. One of their two wins came against the Clippers once again, where they played even better with their superstar.

Since Doc Rivers took over coaching duties in Milwaukee, the Bucks have struggled to find a true identity. After their recent struggles, fans have begun to worry about the state of the team, considering the playoffs are only a month away.

Antetokounmpo has already had a lot on his plate throughout this season, but if he wishes to win another MVP award, he will need to find a way to revive the Bucks season.

Milwaukee has been considered the only team that can compete against the top-seeded Boston Celtics, so it will be critical they find their identity in the coming weeks. The Bucks will have a chance to win two in a row on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.

3. Luka Doncic

Last rank: 3

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have been on a roll since the last NBA MVP Power Rankings came out. The team has won four out of their last five, and their one loss came to the OKC Thunder without Doncic in the lineup.

Fans have speculated that if Doncic were healthy for Thursday's matchup against the Thunder, the Mavs would have likely taken care of business. This isn't total smoke in the water as the Mavs lost by seven, and oftentimes, they got down due to their own mistakes.

The Thunder's offense is predicated on creating turnovers on the defensive end and running in transition. The Mavericks had 19 total turnovers, which would have likely never happened if Doncic were available for Thursday's game.

Despite missing primetime action against the Thunder, Doncic and the Mavs have been steamrolling over this past week. They garnered four wins in a row, one of which was a 127-92 beatdown against the Bulls.

In Chicago, Doncic mesmerized fans with a 27-point triple-double performance. When it was all said and done and the final buzzer rang, Doncic's greatest attribute in that game wasn't his scoring but his passing. Doncic led the game with 14 assists and became a main contributor in one of the most impressive attempts at breaking history.

At the time, Mavs center Daniel Gafford had made 28 consecutive field goals, becoming just one of two players to do so. The only other player was NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, with 35 in a row. Unfortunately for NBA fans, Gafford's impressive streak came to a close against the Thunder when he missed his first shot.

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Last rank: 2

Similar to what Dallas has done over these two weeks, the Thunder have won four of their last five games in dominant fashion. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as "Mr. Consistent," as he has averaged 31.0 points per game throughout the season, and he seems to reach 31 points in just about every single game.

Since dating back to right after the All-Star break, the Thunder have managed to only lose three games. The most embarrassing one came at the end of February when Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder traveled to San Antonio to take on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Thunder were poised to extend their winning streak to five games in a row until Wembanyama and the Spurs thought otherwise. Just like a boxer, Wembanyama came out swinging against his fellow rookie Chet Holmgren, and the Thunder seemingly had no answer until the fourth quarter. The Spurs would go on to take care of business and win 132-118.

Gilgeous-Alexander may not have had the best showcase in front of the San Antonio crowd, but since losing to the Spurs, the Thunder have won five of their last seven.

The Thunder are currently jockeying for first place in the West with the former NBA Champs, the Denver Nuggets. They are currently .5 games back of first place but will have a chance at retaking the No. 1 spot against the Memphis Grizzlies.

1. Nikola Jokic

Last rank: 1

Nikola Jokic has all but locked up his third MVP award at this point in the season. It would take massive pushes from both Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if they wanted to give Jokic a run for his money this season.

The seven-foot Serbian has dominated during March and seems to be getting better as the playoffs inch closer. The NBA is now just a month out from the start of the 2024 Playoffs and it couldn't come at a better time for Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Since the All-Star break, the Nuggets have looked like the hottest team on the block after only losing one game. Their one loss came to the Phoenix Suns in a 117-107 overtime defeat.

After losing to the Suns, the Nuggets took on the top-ranked Boston Celtics for a chance to sweep the season series. Not only did the stars show up in this game, but Jokic led the game with a dominant 32-point triple-double.

After beating the Celtics on National TV, the Nuggets have taken care of business against pretty easy competition. In the four games played since their win over Boston, playing the Miami Heat has been looked at as their hardest game.

Jokic will need to finish this season out strong if he wishes to win the MVP award. The Nuggets will have an opportunity to win six games in a row on Sunday night against the Dallas Mavericks. For more updates on MVP rankings and Dallas Mavericks basketball, stay plugged in.