Analysis: the Top Performers as NBA Reaches Midway Point

Analysis: the Top Performers as NBA Reaches Midway Point
Miami Heat's Tyler Herro (14) drives around Phoenix Suns' Cameron Payne during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Phoenix, on Jan. 8, 2022. Darryl Webb/AP Photo
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The NBA season has reached the midway point, with a record number of players already having gotten minutes. Virus-related issues have forced every team to scramble on some nights to find players with plenty of surprises and, yes, plenty of disappointments.

With basically 50 percent of the games played, there’s enough of a body of work to start making some informed looks at the league’s awards.

MVP

The contenders: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee; Kevin Durant, Brooklyn; Nikola Jokic, Denver; Stephen Curry, Golden State; DeMar DeRozan, Chicago; LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers.