If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the fourth year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic winning the first two, and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers winning last year.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at Thanksgiving.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten:

1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 89 Cup Points, 20 Games, 4.45 Cup Points per Game, 29.0, PPG, 12.8 RPG, 9.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 34.2 PER, 4.6 WS.  Last Week, #1.

Remaining at the top is Nikola Jokic, who is now an NBA Champion and Finals MVP.  At present, the Joker is leading the NBA in Rebounds per Game (12.8), Points (578(, Triple-Doubles (8), Field Goals (227), PER (34.2), Win Shares (4.6), Box Plus/Minus (15.6) and VORP (3.0).  Right now, he is the best player in Basketball, and that is not in dispute (despite what Kendrick Perkins might think).

2. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, 77 Cup Points:  18 Games, 4.28 Cup Points per Game, 29.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 23.2 PER, 2.2 WS. Last Week #6

The Warriors are an aging team, but Father Time has not yet found Curry, who is the best beyond-the-arc shooter of all-time.  He is seventh in PPG (29.1) and is leading the league in 3-Point Field Goals (91), but the pieces around him are falling apart.

3. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, 74 Cup Points:  18 Games, 4.11 Cup Points Per Game, 31.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 25.2 PER, 2.6 WS.  Last Week #2.

Durant remains a superstar and when he is healthy, he is among the best in the world.  KD is chasing another title and MVP with the Suns, and he is having one of his best starts in recent years.  At present, Durant is second in scoring (31.0) has not averaged over 30 Points per Game since the 2013/14 Season, but is over that right now.

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 73 Cup Points:  18 Games, 4.06 Cup Points Per Game, 29.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.3 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 30.3 PER, 3.8 WS.  Last Week #3.

Gilgeous-Alexander broke through to the upper-tier last season, and he is proving that this was no fluke.  He is leading the NBA in Steals per Game (2.4) and Free Throw Percentage (.939) is third in PER (30.3) and sixth in Points (29.9).  The Canadian is now an MVP contender.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 71 Cup Points:  19 Games, 3.74 Cup Points per Game, 29.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 28.5 PER, 2.7 WS.

The two-time MVP has never had a better supporting cast than he does now, and he is responding by doing what he always does: dominate.  Antetokounmpo, however has slightly less metrics than previous years, but the arrival of Damian Lillard means he does not have to always carry the load.  This will cost him a Cup Point or two but the selfless European is totally fine with that.

6. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 69 Cup Points:  18 Games, 3.83 Cup Points per Game, 31.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 8.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 27.1 PER, 2.6 WS.  Last Week #5.

Doncic is on a four-year streak of First Team All-NBA stars, and he is on pace to add a fifth.  Hs is second on Points per Game (31.4), fifth in Assists (8.4), and is in the top ten in PER (27.1), Box Plus/Minus (8.7), VORP (1.8) and Win Shares (2.6).

7. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 68 Cup Points:  19 Games, 3.58 Cup Points per Game, 27.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 21.4 PER, 2.5 WS.  Last Week #6.

Tatum begins the year the way he ended the last one: an MVP contender on a power team.  He has already a nabbed a Player of the Week Award, is seventh in PPG (27.4) and is poised to take the Celtics on his back to a title.

8. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, 67 Cup Points, 16 Games, 4.07 Cup Points per Game, 32.0, PPG, 11.3 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 32.1 PER, 3.2 WS.  Last Week #3

Embiid is the reigning MVP, NIHOF Cup Winner, and two-time scoring champion, and he is currently leading the NBA in scoring again (32.0).  The 76er is also first in Usage Percentage (36.0), and is second in PER (32.1), and is in the top ten in Rebounds and Blocks per Game.  Embiid has missed the last few games, costing him Cup Points.

9. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, 66 Cup Points:  20 Games, 3.30 Cup Points per Game, 24.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 23.7 PER, 2.1 WS.

James set the all-time scoring record last year, and he continues to defy time by playing at an elite level. 

10. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, 64 Cup Points:  19 Games, 3.64 Cup Points per Game, 22.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 19.1 PER, 2.1 WS.

Towns took over for Anthony Edwards in the top ten and if he stays healthy should remain here.

Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Sacramento’s Damontas Sabonis fell off the top ten.

Our next update will be up on next Monday.

If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the third year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic won the first two.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 120 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 120 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1 (Tie). Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets, 121 Points:  31 Games, 30.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 27.0 PER, 5.0 WS.  (#2 on last ranking)

Durant moves back up to the top spot, albeit in a tie, and sure enough, he also shares the most amount of Points (934) with Luka Doncic, though KD has played two more Games.

1 (Tie). Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 121 Points:  29 Games, 32.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 30.3 PER, 5.3 WS.  (#1 on last ranking)

Doncic remains at the top (though now tied with Durant) and should be considered the top contender for the MVP.  At present, he is second in Points per Game behind Joel Embiid, and is also topping the stat line in VORP (3.6).

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 113 Points:  29 Games, 31.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 27.0 PER, 4.5 WS.  (#5 on last ranking)

Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be an All-Star this year, and is shattering last year’s averages, which were already good.  How great will this Canadian be?

4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 111 Points:  30 Games, 30.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 24.9 PER, 4.4 WS.  (#3 on last ranking)

Tatum continues to get better which should scare the hell out of anybody cheering against the Celtics.  He has never finished a season averaging over 30 Points per Game, and Tatum is over that now.

5.  Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 110 Points:  26 Games, 31.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 5.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 28.8 PER, 3.7 WS. (#5 on last ranking)

Giannis is back where he belongs in the top five and the two-time MVP’s Bucks look ready to win it all.  He is in the top five in Rebounds and Points per Game.

6. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 103 Points:  27 Games, 24.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 9.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 32.0 PER, 5.5 WS.  (#10 on last ranking)

The “Joker” is on fire lately, and we know someone wants to get that third Cup!  He is currently leading the NBA in Box Plus/Minus (12.0) and Win Shares (5.5).

7 (Tie). Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, 102 Points:  30 Games, 26.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 19.8 PER, 2.3 WS. (#7 on last ranking)

Brown’s appearance here gives Boston the only team to have two players in the top ten, and he currently has the highest traditional numbers of his career.  

7 (Tie). Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, 102 Points:  26 Games, 30.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 26.7 PER, 4.1 WS. (#4 on last ranking)

Curry is now out with an injury, and will likely be out of the top ten by the next update.

9. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers, 99 Points:  29 Games, 29.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 24.8 PER, 4.9 WS.  (Not on last ranking)

Mitchell returns to the top ten, and more and more it looks like he was the true star of his previous team, Utah.

10.  Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies, 98 Points:  25 Games, 27.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 23.8 PER, 2.6 WS. (#10 on last ranking)

Morant is the face of the Grizzles, and he is posting similar numbers from last year, when he took Memphis to the next level.

Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers fell off the top ten.

Our next update will happen after the first player breaches 130 Cup Points.