By Antonis Stroggylakis/ astroggylakis@eurohoops.net
Two-thirds of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season have been played and the equally close and compelling race in the EuroLeague standings is also reflected on the MVP Ladder
There wasn’t any streak of impressive performances by a single player to call for a significant change in the rankings. Hence four of the five names remain from the previous update, including the favorite.
Just missed: Mathias Lessort, Partizan – Edy Tavares, Real Madrid
Previous 2022-23 MVP Ladders: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
5. Vasilije Micic, Anadolu Efes Istanbul
Season Stats: 16.8 points (5th overall), 5.8 assists (tied for 4th overall), 3.3 rebounds, 19.0 PIR (3rd overall)
Team Record: 11-12 (tied for 11thh overall)
One can easily use Efes’s run as an example of how unpredictable and competitive this EuroLeague season has been. In Round 19, the reigning champions completed a regular-season sweep of Barcelona with a win at Palau Blaugrana and then they lost at home to an FC Bayern Munich team that had one of the worst records in the competition.
Maybe ASVEL would have also delivered an upset at Efes if Micic didn’t take over in a fourth-period comeback with big buckets, big rebounds, and big assists before he finished with 22 points overall. A week later, the reigning Final Four MVP was the maestro in the victory over Barcelona with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists with 0 turnovers.
It goes without saying that Efes has been problematic lately with four losses over the last six games that have dropped it outside of the playoff zone. Even though Micic has also been subpar for his high quality recently, it’s hard to ignore that his overall numbers scream “MVP”. This is why he gets a pass in this MVP Ladder, despite his team’s and his own mostly underwhelming recent performances.
4. Kevin Punter, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade
Season Stats: 14.9 points (11th overall), 2.3 assists, 2.2 rebounds 1.2 steals, 13.7 PIR
Team Record: 12-11 (tied for 7th overall)
Previous Spot on the MVP Ladder: –
The start of 2023 has been quite promising for Partizan as the Serbian side has established itself among the top eight. And Punter, who firmly believed in his team’s playoff capabilities from the start, has been leading the offensive efforts of his squad with both potency and some remarkable efficiency.
Over the last seven games, Punter is averaging a team-high 15.6 points on 70.5% True Shooting (70.0% on Effective Field Goal shooting), which includes 19-of-31 (61.2%) on three-pointers. This TSR% number is phenomenal considering Punter’s shot selection and the tough baskets he drops – and often creates himself – under pressure and off the dribble.
Punter has been averaging a sound 10.1 in +/- in 2023. Even in one of the rare losses for Partizan, Punter stepped up and led the charge by scoring 22 points vs. Maccabi. He had by far the highest +/- on his team with 7.
3. Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid
Season Stats: 15.2 points (10th overall), 2.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 15.8 PIR (13th overall)
Team Record: 16-7 (tied for 1st overall)
Previous Spot on the MVP Ladder: 4th
Real Madrid has climbed to the top of the standings and no player has a larger and more consistent influence on its offensive game than Dzanan Musa. Over the six wins that Los Blancos grabbed in the last seven games, the Bosnian forward averaged 16.0 points and 3.0 assists.
While Musa didn’t have the kind of performance that would grant him Player of the Round honors during that period, he brought a couple of standout moments of MVP quality. His heroics against Barcelona with 9 of his 18 points with personal efforts in overtime helped Real beat its archrival. In Berlin, he was particularly instrumental with 9 in the fourth quarter to hold back a comeback effort by the hosts. When he visited Crvena Zvezda, he paved the way for what was ultimately a comfortable win by dropping 16 out of his game-high 19 points in the first 28 minutes.
His overall impact is also reflected in his 10.2+ Net Rating. It’s a telling number for a player who has the ball a lot in his hands and is heavily involved in decision-making while on the floor (he has a team-high 25.8 USG%).