Mavs Gaming shares their opinions on the tight MVP race

On Saturday, August 11, the NBA 2K League will announced the winner of the inaugural MVP award at the end of the last regular season game. Every player and manager had the ability to nominate five players to be a finalist for the award.

The five players who received the most votes were then considered “finalists” and eligible to be voted on by players and fans.

Headlining the finalist is MVP front-runner, OneWildWalnut. Walnut is the best player on a Blazers5 Gaming team that sits at the top of the league with a 11-2 regular season record. If the voting resembles that of the NBA, Walnut is the best player on the best team and should be the favorite for the award.

When talking to the Mavs Gaming squad about their opinions on the award, Walnut had one major supporter on the team: number one overall pick, Dimez.

“It has to go to Walnut. He has been the most consistent player over the whole season,” Dimez said. “Number one ranked team. He has earned it and playing out of his mind. It has to go to Walnut. Non-debatable.”

But he also has a teammate joining him as a finalist. Averaging over 20 points and 13 assists a game; Mama Im Dat Man is the point guard for the best team in the league and deserves his due credit. Will the Blazers duo steal votes from each other?

The Wizards are fighting for their playoff lives heading into the last weekend, but they are led by arguably the best overall player in the league in Boo Painter. Painter dropped 57 points in the big win over Portland last weekend and is averaging over 30 points a game. He also ranks in the top seven of blocks and rebounds.

Heat Check Gaming started the season on a shaky note, but has propelled themselves into the playoff hunt heading into the final weekend behind the incredible play of Hotshot. He is third in the league in scoring and leads his team in almost every statistical category.

You can cast your vote by:

1. Filling out the voting form: https://t.co/yZf8aqORzc

2. Use hashtag #NBA2KLeagueMVP and post the name of your choice of the 5 finalists.

3. Retweet the league’s post for the individual finalist (we’ll post each finalist individually tonight) pic.twitter.com/9eXTerCIOE

— NBA2KLeague (@NBA2KLeague) August 4, 2018

The award seems to be a three-man race at the moment. Walnut sitting as the best player on the best team with Hotshot and BooPainter as the single most valuable players on their teams heading into the final weekend.

It comes down to what the voter values the most.

For Dayfri, being the overwhelming best player on a playoff team means more than being a great player surrounded by great teammates. He spoke highly of Walnut, but personally leans towards the other two.

“Personally, I think Hotshot or Shump [BooPainter], but I think Walnut will end up winning it,” Dayfri said.

“In my opinion either Hotshot or BooPainter,” Devillon said. “Both of them led their team from a mediocre spot to playoff contender. There are other players in consideration, but they have more of a support system.”

Both Devillon and HazzaUK2K credited the turnaround that Heat Check Gaming made with Hotshot at the helm. JLB and Hazza both shared their support of Hotshot.

“At the start of the year they were performing poorly and getting flooded. In terms of a team’s most valuable player, it goes to Hotshot,” Hazza said.

Rounding out the five finalists is the steady play of Lets Get It Ramo. He has led his Pistons team to the third best record and ranks in the top ten of the four main statistical categories.

Lastly, I asked the head coach of Mavs Gaming, Jonah Edwards, on the MVP race and he too admitted that Hotshot was his vote.

“I voted for Hotshot,” Edwards said. “The thing is the Heat have three more games left.”

Edwards went on to explain how what happens over the last three games for the Heat could determine the award. If Hotshot leads the Heat to a 3-0 record and a playoff spot in the last weekend, then it would be hard not to hand him the award.

“I voted for Hotshot, but I’m torn between the two,” Edwards said. “I think statistically, Walnut is definitely deserving. I think he will probably win MVP and DPOY.”

The MVP award, along with the other regular season awards, will be announced Saturday night after the last slate of regular season games.