After the NBA’s first 2 weeks, these 6 players made their strongest MVP cases

Tatum leads Boston’s offense

Jayson Tatum has returned from an Achilles tear and quickly taken charge of Boston’s offense. Other than a poor opening-night performance in Detroit, he has delivered in clutch moments and paired his scoring with career-high assist numbers and usage.

Tatum’s ability to draw defensive attention helps create chances for teammates. The article describes him as a more well-rounded player than Jaylen Brown, who finished sixth in MVP voting last season, while noting that Boston can still slip into hero ball.

Maxey thrives alongside stars

Tyrese Maxey has adjusted smoothly in Philadelphia, where he understands the system and his two-man game with Joel Embiid. Moving off the ball more has given him chances to attack defenses on the catch and in transition, with LeBron James finding him in stride.

Maxey combines speed with high-volume shooting and a deep range of moves near the basket. Defenses that focus on him can leave openings for Embiid or James, while pressure on those stars can give Maxey room to attack.

Wembanyama changes the paint

Victor Wembanyama had a difficult start, shooting 1-for-13 in San Antonio’s opening-night loss to Oklahoma City. He rebounded quickly and leads the NBA in blocks, while his presence makes it difficult for opponents to attack the paint.

Wembanyama still takes stretches of tough jumpers, but a career-high 49 percent of his attempts have come at the rim. He has made more than 70 percent of his rim attempts throughout his career, and the article says easier chances could put an MVP within reach.

Flagg makes an early defensive case

Cooper Flagg’s second season has begun strongly. He leads the NBA in defensive box plus-minus at 4.4, and the article identifies him as a possible challenger to Wembanyama in the Defensive Player of the Year race.