The early MVP race is already taking shape, and a few familiar names are doing what they do best while a couple of surprise candidates are forcing their way into the conversation.
Luka Dončić has set the tone in Los Angeles. With LeBron James no longer on the Lakers, the offense belongs to Dončić, and he’s making that clear every night.
He’s putting up 38.3 points, 8.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game, and he’s already stacked together a fifth straight game of 35 or more points, matching the longest streak by any Lakers player since Kobe Bryant. He has scored at least 42 points in back-to-back games, and he’s also buried six or more threes in five straight contests.
The Lakers are 6-2, and if Dončić keeps them in the top three in the Western Conference, he’ll stay near the front of the MVP field.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is right there, even with the Oklahoma City Thunder dealing with a brutal injury stretch. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are done for the season, while Chet Holmgren is out multiple weeks with a knee injury.
Through it all, Gilgeous-Alexander has kept rolling. Oklahoma City is 5-2, and he’s averaging 28.4 points and 4.0 assists.
The two-time MVP has already won back-to-back awards, so voter fatigue could become part of the discussion, but if the Thunder stay near the top of the standings and remain in title contention, he’ll be impossible to ignore.
Tyrese Maxey has turned Philadelphia into one of the most entertaining teams in the league. The 76ers have plenty of star power with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid, but Maxey has been the one setting the pace.
He’s averaging 29.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds, and he’s been especially dangerous late. Philadelphia is 7-1, and Maxey has scored at least 15 points in the fourth quarter three times already.
Jaylen Brown put it plainly: "Maxey's been leading the way, 100 percent. He's been here, this is his team."
Stephen Curry is still doing Stephen Curry things for Golden State. The Warriors have won five straight, and Curry has scored at least 31 points in three consecutive games.
He’s averaging 30.0 points per game and shooting 42.9% from three, while also building chemistry with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. If the Warriors stay in the hunt, Curry’s two MVPs - including the first unanimous one in league history - will keep him in the mix.
And then there’s Ty Jerome, the surprise name that has crashed the party. Memphis is 6-1, and Jerome has been the biggest reason why.
He’s already scored 40 points twice, including a 45-point outburst against the Utah Jazz, and he followed that with another 40-point game in an overtime loss to the Pelicans. He’s averaging 28.2 points and 5.7 assists, and while keeping that pace all season would be a tall order, he’s been playing like an MVP so far.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Hot Start Faces A New Problem Against Indiana
Memphis has opened the season looking every bit like a team that expects to stay near the top of the Western Conference, and a visit from Indiana offers another chance to keep that momentum rolling. The Grizzlies are 6-1 and have already shown they can win with balance, with Ty Jerome giving them a steady offensive lift while the rest of the roster keeps finding ways to pressure opponents on both ends.
Indiana arrives on a three-game road trip carrying a five-game skid, and the matchup brings a few layers beyond the standings. One of the bigger questions is in the middle, where the Pacers are watching Ivica Zubac after his ankle sprain, and his availability could shape how they try to handle Memphis inside. The game also sets up appealing individual battles, including Cameron Boozer against Pascal Siakam, but for the Grizzlies the bigger concern is simply avoiding the kind of slip that can let a struggling opponent find life. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Face Another Early Test With Key Help Still Uncertain
The Grizzlies are back at FedExForum on Wednesday with another early-season measuring stick, this time against an Indiana team still sorting through its own availability questions. Memphis is working with a new young core after a busy roster shakeup, and the recent loss to New Orleans offered a reminder that talent alone will not smooth out the rough edges right away.
Ty Jerome was among the voices stressing what still has to tighten up for Memphis after that close defeat, especially on the possessions that swing games in the margins. With the Pacers coming in and the Grizzlies still trying to settle into their new identity, this one feels like more than just another November date on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Fast Start Is About To Face Its First Real Test
Memphis has opened the 2026-27 season looking every bit like a team that belongs near the top of the league, with a net rating that ranks second in the NBA and a roster that has stayed mostly intact through the early stretch. The Grizzlies have benefited from good health and efficient play, and the early results have given them a cushion as they head into a schedule that will start mixing in more demanding opponents after a softer opening run.
The next few weeks will tell a lot about how real this start is, because the Grizzlies cannot count on the same easy shot-making to carry them forever. If the three-point production cools off, they will need other ways to score and keep games under control, all while navigating a growing injury concern in the backcourt that could test their depth sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]